‘Our futures are being stolen!’ Youth activists tell COP27 negotiators it’s past time to tackle ‘loss and damage’ — Global Issues

“There were climate disasters and devastation, and my country had to borrow money from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to deal with the consequences… Our countries cannot develop at the expense of the climate crisis‘ said a young African activist during one of the many protests taking place today at the Tonino Lamborghini International Convention Center.

“Our future is being stolen from us! This is an injustice! ‘ he declared.

‘Loss and damage‘refers to the costs that countries that contribute the least to climate change incur but are bearing the brunt of its effects, such as sea level rise and extreme weather events increasingly popular.

Currently, developing countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and some African countries are forced to pay very high costs to recover from climate-induced disasters, and young people believe that the time has come. major polluters must pay their ecological debt.

“This is an issue that has been set aside after the COP. The fact that we are in an African country this year is very important. It is a scientific fact that the countries with the least economic resources and hardly any responsibility for emissions are the countries that suffer the most... It is about compensation and social justice,” said Bruno Rodriguez, Argentine youth activist United Nations News.

The call from young people is clear: They want to establish a loss and damage finance facility that can provide additional and accessible funding to help developing countries adjust and limit “irreversible life-changing effects on young people”.

“We don’t want loans; We don’t want any more debt. Pay the price now for the loss and damage,” said one activist from the Philippines.

The scientific community agrees

Annual 10 New insights into the Climate Science report, As its name suggests, provides a concise synthesis of the most pressing findings on climate change-related research to inform the COP negotiations, also emphasizing the importance of addressing to deal with loss and damage, calling it “the imperative of the planet.”

In the release of the report this Thursday, which coincides with the ‘Day of Youth and Science’ at COP27, the scientists emphasized that losses and damages have already occurred and will increase significantly based on the current orbital model.

“While many losses and damages can be measured in monetary terms, there are also non-economic damages and losses that need to be better understood and accounted for,” the report’s authors warn. The report’s authors warn, calling for an “urgent” coordinated global policy response to the problem.

Detailed information material, compiled by Climate Research Program and supported by the United Nations Climate Change (UNFCCC), also highlights that Many of these consequences cannot be avoided with adaptation measures alone and acting quickly to reduce emissions is a much better option.

“The report says that the potential for climate change adaptation is not limitless and that it will not prevent all the damage and damage we can see now… I applaud the parties who have join the agenda at COP27 here,” declare UNFCCC Chief Simon Stiell.

However, he said, the response to the losses and damage did not make countries optimistic about their emissions.

“Adaptation actions are no substitute for ambitious mitigation action [to reduce emissions]”, he emphasized.

For the report’s authors, the fact that tens of thousands of people are dying from the effects of climate change right now, needs to be at the heart of the negotiations.

They also emphasize it through three billion people will live in ‘vulnerable hotspots’ – areas most likely to be adversely affected by climate hazards – by 2050, twice as much as today.

Some of the other details in the report include a warning that climate migration, health risks and national security issues are increasing due to climate change. You can find them all here.

Youth takeover

On their day, the young people, teenagers and children at COP27 participated in various “takeovers” and were seen – and heard – in almost every corner of the convention center .

They express themselves not only by protesting but also with music, dance, colorful costumes and murals with a message to world leaders.

Another sutta heard today is “Pull out the polluters” As three NGOs report, there are more than 600 fossil fuel lobbyists on the list – which the UNFCCC says is now over 45,000 – a 25% increase from last year.

“The influence of fossil fuel lobbyists is greater than that of frontline states and communities. Delegations from African countries and indigenous communities are constrained by those who represent corporate interests,” shouted a group of protesters from Kick Big Polluters Out in the main square.

Ambassador Wael Aboulgmagd, Special Representative of the Egyptian Presidency of COP27, said during the press conference that although he could not tell if the attendees were lobbyists or just members or some entity certain, but there are actually many industries that contribute to current emissions, such as cement and fertilizer. companies. But they are not involved in the negotiations, he made clear.

He said he expected that on Decarbonization Day, which takes place on Friday, many of them will demonstrate how they are moving forward in reducing emissions.

On the overall negotiations, Mr. Aboulgmagd said the first draft decision text for the mitigation work program is now in “very good progress” and on Saturday morning the delegations will begin. provides input to the COP27 outcome document.

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