UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that climate adaptation must be treated with a seriousness that reflects the equal worth of all members of the human family.
In a message on the launch of the Adaptation Gap report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Guterres said the lack of support for adaptation needs in the developing world is unacceptable.
The UNEP Adaptation Gap report makes clear that the world is failing to protect people from the here-and-now impacts of the climate crisis. Those on the front lines of the climate crisis are at the back of the line for support, said Guterres.
The world is falling far short both in stopping the growth of greenhouse gas emissions and starting desperately needed efforts to plan, finance and implement adaptation in light of growing risks, he said.
Adaptation needs in the developing world are set to skyrocket to as much as 340 billion U.S. dollars a year by 2030. Yet adaptation support today stands at less than one-tenth of that amount, he noted.
The most vulnerable people and communities are paying the price. This is unacceptable, he said.
"Adaptation must be treated with a seriousness that reflects the equal worth of all members of the human family," said Guterres. "It's time for a global climate adaptation overhaul that puts aside excuses and picks up the toolbox to fix the problems."
Starting at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt, or COP27, the adaptation gap must be addressed in four critical ways, he said.
First, there is a need to dramatically increase the quantity and quality of financing for adaptation needs, said Guterres.
Last year developed countries agreed to double support for adaptation to 40 billion dollars a year by 2025. At the upcoming conference, they must present a credible roadmap with clear milestones on how this will be delivered -- preferably as grants, not loans, he said.
Developed countries must also use their influence as government shareholders of multilateral development banks to prioritize adaptation, resilience and vulnerability, he said.
Second, there is an urgent need for a new business model for turning adaptation priorities into investable projects, said Guterres. "There is a mismatch between what governments propose and what financiers consider as investable. The investment pipeline is blocked. We must unblock it now."
It is high time for unprecedented coordination among recipient governments, development partners and other financiers. This is the only way to ensure diverging priorities coalesce in support of developing countries' adaptation efforts, he said.
Third, there is a need for far better climate risk data and information. Vulnerable countries and communities need access to localized data and information on climate risks to inform adaptation actions, he said.
Fourth, there is a need to deliver on a promise of universal early-warning coverage for climate disasters within five years, he said.
He called for the financial and technical support needed to implement an action plan to be presented by the World Meteorological Organization at COP27.
"These four priorities demand unprecedented international cooperation and support," said Guterres, adding that COP27 must provide a clear and time-bound roadmap for closing the finance gap for addressing loss and damage, and this will be a "central litmus test" for success at COP27.
The world must step up and protect people and communities from the immediate and ever-growing risks of the climate emergency, said Guterres. "We have no time to lose." ■
