A COP of Actions?

unite. Act. Deliver: A COP of Actions?

My Experience at COP 28

What took me to COP – Afrika Youth Caravan to COP28, key messages

The 28th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in Dubai, UAE from November 30th to December 12th, 2023. Themed; Unite, Act, Deliver – the focus was largely on how the world can together move into a just world, with ambitious action on climate leadership, delivering loss and damage fund for the world’s majority, aka Global South, and serious actions on nature, food sovereignty, water, Health and soil funds.

The Conference also marked the world’s first Global StockTake (GST), established under the Paris agreement as a periodic rate card that shows how countries are performing in regards to commitments to abate the climate crisis.

I attended the COP28 as the project lead for the Afrika Youth Caravan to COP28. As a build up of last year’s caravan where we took 21 youth across Afrika to Sharm-El-Sheik, this year we leveraged on the power of digital campaigns and films to carry impact messaging on the need to invest in youth solutions, deliver just energy transitions, operationalise loss and damage, and get actions on Nature-based Solutions, Resilience and Adaptation. See more about the caravan here.

Role of the youth:

The youth are forming a growing proportion of the world’s population. Afrika alone is already the world’s youngest continent, with a fast growing youth demography. So then, what role do youth leaders play in the climate space? Well, quite a lot actually. Youth have a strong energy, creativity and time to innovate and deliver on-the-ground solutions in the communities. Youth also have a key role in policy influence and decision making spaces around the climate agenda. Some notable influences around COP28 for the caravan as well as for other youth delegations were;

Side events and advocacy. The Caravan delegation hosted 6 key side events over the course of the 2 weeks of negotiations. Ranging from showcasing youth solutions, to investments in youth projects, Youth reception on Resourcing Youth Solutions, Impact Storytelling and Enhancing cross border collaborations. These sessions brought the face of Afrika’s youth as solutions bearers, and leaders in the climate, biodiversity, technology and community arena. Youth leaders organized and programmed some more impact sessions across pavilions; Extreme Hangouts, Entertainment + Culture, Climate Live, Liberia, Boreal boardroom, Columbia pavilions, Children and Youth pavilions, among others.

COPs are always seen as busy spaces, and that is true. But they also serve as important Networking avenues for amplifying youth leadership. Youth get to share the same stage and interact with heads of state, governments, investors, civil society and other constituencies. This is a rare opportunity to connect, forge partnerships and make tangible progress on solidarity building for climate action. And this is one thing COP28 did for us.

Negotiations. Youth also have a key role in influencing and participating in negotiations. This year, Kenya and many other Afrikan countries delivered increased party badges. While this did not necessarily mean full access into interventions for party submissions, it was a strong addition to access within negotiation rooms, and allowed youth to learn how the processes go, and build their confidence for the subsequent COPs.

Solutions and momentum building. Action does not actually happen at COP. Action takes place in the communities. So youth attending COPs has to be from a point of bringing the solutions, interventions and impact they have in their communities. THis should be a community building and network enhancement space that contributes to increased actions and delivering of impact at the local level.

Outcomes:

Throughout the year, a lot of focus has been put on operationalisation of the loss and damage fund, just energy transition, and global goal on Adaptation. The 2 weeks of COP saw heavy negotiations, delays and streamlining of what would be the “desired” outcome. CIvil society groups, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), pushed for a total phase out decision in the eventual text. In the end, phase out language did not surface. Instead, a COP28 text on “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era. Some progress for sure, as this is the 1st time mention of fossil fuel in a COP text. Though not a big success, this text puts the base for increased tight action on Phase out – when, where, timelines and urgency is needed, in future COPs. Clear timelines and accountability on phase out needs to be lobbied and put up as a text sooner than later, as the climate crisis is worsening, and further delays will only validate denials that have caused the havoc we are in.

On the Global Goal on Adaptation, some progress on doubling financing for locally-led adaptation is made, but nowhere near to what is actually needed. Adaptation financing needs to come mostly in the form of grants, and local communities who are most impacted by the climate crisis must lead in the designing and delivering of the grants formalities.

On Loss and Damage fund – about 700 million USD committed on the 1st Global Stock Take GST at COP28. This is a first good step, but to reach the minimum 100billion dollars annually for loss and damage needs clear commitments and availing of the funds. This needs to be new and additional, not part of current climate financing.

Pledges on food systems transformation, health, water, arrived at COP28. More financing was announced for these key areas that need support to abate the climate crisis. A successful pointer was agreement by parties to triple global energy capacity and double the rate of energy efficiency by 2030.

Way forward:

To me, this was one of the most progressive COPs, having attended 4 COPs to date. The organization infrastructure, logistics, sessions programming, access, everything was delivered in a better way. The final text was not what many would have wanted to see, but it is a positive step into what future we all want. Amidst all these, below are some action items that can guide us into the upcoming COP29.

1. We must influence the outcomes of the COP28 text. While recognising the need to phase out fossil fuels, the mention of an end to the fossil fuels era is a good starting point on COPs. What is needed is clear timelines now, and actual commitments by the oil producers and countries dependent on fossil fuels exploitation. We need to close the tap on fossil fuels and usher in the new wave of renewable energy.
2. We must follow the money, and ensure it goes directly to those impacted. No gatekeeping, no injustice, no lack of transparency. So many commitments on financing needed for climate action were announced at COP, and this should be tracked to the last bit. Every dime is needed, and even more needs to be availed. So, let us not tire. We must follow the money, hold accountable world leaders and people who made pledges.
3. Invest in Youth. Support youth, community and grassroots solutions. We can only successfully get out of the current crises if we recognise the power of youth, indigenous, women and local communities in delivering impact solutions. By investing and financing their solutions,we are half-way there, at solving the climate crisis. Youth is the future, and the future is now. Indigenous communities are the real guardians of our planet, having done so for so many centuries, they need to be supported, and their rights protected so as to ensure continuous guardianship of our planet.
4. Deliver Loss and Damage more, and keep filling in the gaps. The loss and damage fund should not be fronted as a favor to the world’s most vulnerable, but as a right to them for suffering the most out of a chaotic system they did not create. Avail th loss and damage financing to them without strings attached.
5. Lead on strategic campaigns that push the decisions demands stronger towards COP29. From Energy justice to food sovereignty, human rights to health, nature and biodiversity, water and education, we need to support action campaigns to ensure the momentum is maintained, and enhanced. COP29 must build up on COP28, and serious actions on fossil fuels, finance, just transition achieved!