H.E. Alioune Ndoye, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition of Senegal and President of AMCEN
H.E. Collins Nzovu, Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Zambia
H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Ministers
It is a great honour to speak to this important assembly of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). We at UNEP are proud to host the AMCEN Secretariat and in doing so, we, of course, are honoured to work in close collaboration with critical African institutions, of which I highlight the African Union under the auspices of which AMCEN Ministers gather. My sincere thanks to Minister Ndoye, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition of Senegal and President of AMCEN and to the African Union for hosting this important gathering on the sidelines of COP27. Allow me also to express on behalf of UNEP the sincere appreciation and thanks to Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the outstanding arrangements made here to make us all feel welcome in beautiful Sharm El Sheikh.
As the UN Secretary-General has noted, the issue of long-term finance is clearly one of the most critical issues on the agenda at COP27. Indeed, the Progress Report on the Long-Term Finance Delivery Plan bears out the imperative of the availability of reliable, long-term finance. And as we know, finance becomes especially important against the backdrop of increased indebtedness and the rise in commodity prices in Africa.
As countries seek to up the tempo on climate finance, it is important to zero in on the role of the G20 countries. As UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report released a few weeks ago notes, G20 economies account for 75 per cent of CO2 emissions and, accordingly, they bear a special responsibility to urgently mitigate their own emissions. But further, it is critical that countries with the longest carbon trail behind them, step up financing to developing countries with a special focus on the least developed countries and small island developing states.
UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report which was launched last week outlines just how far off track we are on adaptation financing. Estimated annual adaptation needs are USD 160-340 billion by 2030 and USD 315-575 billion by 2050. Contrast this to 2020, a year in which adaptation financing expended only reached USD 29 billion. As long as mitigation efforts are delayed and our CO2 emissions continue, the human, societal and financial costs of adaptation will continue to increase. This, then brings me to the criticality of loss and damage. As the UN Secretary-General has said, “Getting concrete results on loss and damage is a litmus test of the commitment of the governments to the success of COP27.” I am confident that in your negotiations, under the able leadership of the distinguished African ministers and negotiators, you will ensure that loss and damage remain firmly on the agenda. Ministers, I assure you that you have the full support of the United Nations in this important endeavour.
Allow me to add a word on technology. While there has rightly been a strong focus on the financing mechanism of the UNFCCC, the Green Climate Fund, I ask that far greater attention be paid to the technology mechanism of the UNFCCC, the Climate Technology Center and Network (CTCN), a mechanism that UNEP is proud to host, but which operates under the auspices and governance of the UNFCCC. The technology mechanism which aims to make technology available to developing countries, remains vastly under-funded. I therefore recommend, that as negotiators consider the contours and structure of the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, that they also must consider how to ensure any new mechanism such as the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, which would be established under the Convention, is well-funded with core resources.
In closing, allow me once more to offer my thanks for the honour granted to UNEP to host the AMCEN Secretariat. My congratulations also to Ministers and to the African negotiators for the hard work in ensuring that at COP27, the implementation COP, we land at common but differentiated agreements to move the climate agenda forward.
Thank you, Mr. President.
