Reflection

The theme of COP 27, the latest UN climate conference taking place in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, has been dubbed ‘implementation.’ Judging by the many speeches from heads of states, prominent climate activists, public actions and the negotiations behind the scenes it is clear that urgent action is needed today to affect a veritable climate catastrophe in the not-too-distant future.

One hopes that the massive investment in time, expenses and energy during this COP will culminate in real progress towards cutting emissions, providing finance for those who need to adapt and transitioning to cleaner energy just to mention a few prominent themes.

But one issue which is unlikely to get a commitment towards implementation at the end of this COP this week is loss and damage, an issue being championed by many here at the COP. Loss and damage refers to negative impacts being, mostly unrecoverable, felt by millions of people around the world especially those from the Global South. Those campaigning for it would like to see a finance facility established at this COP which would provide compensation to those who already are experiencing the impacts of frequent floods, droughts, rising sea levels, cyclones, etc, largely caused by global warming which leads to climate change.

Most of the developing nations are for a loss and damage finance facility but this is being opposed by many developed nations. The latter are pushing for other ways of making funds available and many have already pledged huge sums of money. However, the view of many from the developing world is that such a facility should be established at this COP and should be administered by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC the organizers of this meeting and others before. In addition, those calling for such a facility claim those who have contributed the most to climate change, i.e., the developed world should compensate those who are feeling its impact the most and have contributed less to global pollution.

The Holy See, now a party to the UNFCCC, in its submission to the COP has also joined many in calling for the same facility.

Having represented the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, SCIAF, an aid wing of the Scottish Catholic Church, which sponsored me to the COP in Glasgow last year and here in Egypt, I am firmly in favour of establishing such a facility under the aegis of the UNFCCC to ensure among others that funds raised for loss and damage reach their intended target. I would further argue that this should be our position in line with the solidarity and the preferential option for the poor key imperatives of Catholic social teaching. I pray that sooner rather than later, this noble effort will receive the cooperation of those opposing it who in fact should ‘pay up for climate change.’