CARE MEDIA BITES from COP 16

Cancun, December 3rd, 2010. After the first days of the climate change conference in Cancún CARE International fears that people least responsible but hardest hit by the impacts of climate change will be left empty handed.

“As we came to Cancún we expected an agreement on adaptation to be reached. But the elephant in the room is that the money on offer on adaptation is far, far short of the enormous need”, said Tonya Rawe, Senior Policy Advocate for CARE. Negotiators are now preoccupied with the question of which countries are the most vulnerable and, by implication which ones are prioritised for adaptation funding. “Parties should focus less on definitions during the Cancún meeting and more on ensuring that there is an appropriate framework and enough funding to respond to developing countries’ adaptation needs”.

“The fact that countries are vying for the dubious distinction of being the most vulnerable is a sad reflection of how long we have waited to tackle the climate challenge”, Rawe says.

The most recent report from the World Bank indicates that US $75 to 100 billion per year is needed for adaptation alone. So far, neither the short-term nor the long-term pledges get anywhere near that sum.

CARE’s works with people in extreme poverty who are already affected by climate change every day - people who are least responsible for climate change. For their sake, it is vital to reach an agreement on adaptation in Cancún. But time is running out. “Parties should agree on an effective framework for adaptation action”, Rawe says. “But at the end of the day, the real solution is sufficient funding in line with needs.

Media contact in Cancun:
Sandra Bulling
Senior Media Officer
CARE Germany-Luxemburg
Phone:  (+251) 998 1972974 (Mexican mobile)
(+49) 151 126 27 123 (German mobile)
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