As COP26 Draws To A Close: High Emitters Still Lack Commitment, Loss And Damage Text Vague

Fiji and other Pacific Island countries are concerned with the COP26 outcome draft text released yesterday.

While the 1.5 degrees stand re­mains non-negotiable, a solid com­mitment from high emitters to re­duce emissions is yet to be seen.

Fiji has in fact proposed an escala­tion in the decarbonisation process – 50 per cent by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.

While most countries have said net zero by 2050, but how they plan to get there is another issue, Attor­ney-General and Minister Respon­sible for Climate Change, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum told Bloomberg yesterday.

“We don’t want another, what we call ‘oops’ situation, where you have $100 billion and come 2020, we don’t have it, so let’s extend it.”

In terms of climate finance, Fiji has also proposed that the out­comes text show the timeframes before reaching 2023.

“They should be a yearly check, it’s a question of accountabil­ity. How are we tracking a tracking system? So, by 2023, we don’t have another situation where we’ve got another shortfall,” Mr Sayed-Khai­yum said.

Suggestions have also been made in regard to the draft text on loss and damage.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum described it as ‘very vague’.

“We’ve suggested an al­ternative text - that alter­native text has the agree­ments of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and Pacific SIDS small island developing states. We also understand that the Least Developed Countries are also support­ing that particular position.”

“What we want from the loss and damage is not just about insurance, it’s also about some financial commitments.”

Again the timeframe outlined in the draft text is not clear including the mechanics of assessing loss and damage.

“How do we assess loss and damage? Are we say­ing they should be final­ised by the next COP?

“But we need to make the commitment now to have various com­mittees, to be able to sit down and work out the roadmap, and then get that commitment, put in stone in COP27.”

On Wednesday, Prime  Minister Voreqe Bainimarama had raised the same issues during his bilateral meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guter­ess and his UK counterpart, Boris Johnson.

Yesterday, Mr Guteress had ech­oed the same concerns.

The failure by big emitters to reach the US$100bn pledge by 2020 is a big con­cern.

“Pledging is one thing, making sure that actually gets down to the people who deserve them is anoth­er.”

Another shortfall in accessing fi­nance from organisations like the Green Climate Fund points to bu­reaucracy.

“You will find talking to a lot of the Pacific Island countries that they will say to you that the bu­reaucracy is so bloated, we don’t even know how to navigate our way to the money or to actu­ally fulfill the requirements. So that’s a real issue,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.