Namibia wants regional Green Climate Fund
Namibia is ready to host the African Regional Hub of the Green Climate Fund in order to further enhance direct access for African countries to build capacity within the region.
This is according to environment minister Pohamba Shifeta who was speaking at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP23) in Bonn, Germany last week.
According to him, the fund should increase its visibility in developing countries, more especially in Africa, the most vulnerable continent to the adverse impacts of climate change.
Shifeta said that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) should continue streamlining processes in order to ensure the speedy approval of readiness support and projects proposals from developing countries. He said the GCF should provide financial resources without any prejudice and should avoid discriminatory classifications of developing countries as part of eligibility criteria for funding projects.
“We will not subscribe to the notion of loans for adaptation projects. This is against the principles and provisions of the Convention and should be discouraged at all costs.”
According to Shifeta, Namibia has continuously emphasised its vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
He said Namibia is dependent on the natural resources such as agriculture and fisheries, both of which are prone to the adverse impacts of climate. The country continues to bear the effects of frequent droughts, which rob our people from their livelihoods, and floods, that dismantle our infrastructures, said Shifeta.
“Science warns us that time is not on our side, hence a call for urgency in accelerating the level of mitigation and adaptation ambitions, including the provision of the means of implementation particularly of finance.”
“We call on developed countries to review their respective nationally determined contributions (NDC) in order to jointly increase their level of mitigation ambition that can bridge the emission gap in the pursuit to achieve the agreed temperature goal of well below the 2 degrees Celsius.”
Shifeta said adaption remains a key priority for Namibia and other developing states. Namibia strongly supports an adaptation goal that is linked to the mitigation goal.
“We support the UN Environment's Emission Gap Report that estimates that developing countries would require about US$ 300 billion by 2030 in order to adapt to climate change.”
Furthermore he said it must be noted that the implementation of the Namibia's NDC is conditioned to the provision of 90% of the financial resources from developed countries.
Shifeta added that COP23 will decide to allow the Adaptation Fund to serve the Paris Agreement.
He said the Adaptation Fund has played a catalytic role in building climate resilience in many developing countries and it has so far built strong reputation in direct access on climate finance and investments.
“Therefore, we cannot afford to lose this very important fund.”
According to him with a strong political will great strides can be made in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
“Let us not be frightened by those who are running away from the responsibility to address climate change. If we unite, as people of the universe, we will always emerge victorious even in the absence of those sneaking out of the Paris Agreement.”
Meanwhile, the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia has signed another agreement worth N$4.3 million with the Green Climate Fund in Bonn. The Namibia Integrated Landscape Approach for Enhancing Livelihoods and Environmental Governance to Eradicate Poverty will be funded through this grant and will be implemented over a period of five years.
ELLANIE SMIT
This is according to environment minister Pohamba Shifeta who was speaking at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP23) in Bonn, Germany last week.
According to him, the fund should increase its visibility in developing countries, more especially in Africa, the most vulnerable continent to the adverse impacts of climate change.
Shifeta said that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) should continue streamlining processes in order to ensure the speedy approval of readiness support and projects proposals from developing countries. He said the GCF should provide financial resources without any prejudice and should avoid discriminatory classifications of developing countries as part of eligibility criteria for funding projects.
“We will not subscribe to the notion of loans for adaptation projects. This is against the principles and provisions of the Convention and should be discouraged at all costs.”
According to Shifeta, Namibia has continuously emphasised its vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
He said Namibia is dependent on the natural resources such as agriculture and fisheries, both of which are prone to the adverse impacts of climate. The country continues to bear the effects of frequent droughts, which rob our people from their livelihoods, and floods, that dismantle our infrastructures, said Shifeta.
“Science warns us that time is not on our side, hence a call for urgency in accelerating the level of mitigation and adaptation ambitions, including the provision of the means of implementation particularly of finance.”
“We call on developed countries to review their respective nationally determined contributions (NDC) in order to jointly increase their level of mitigation ambition that can bridge the emission gap in the pursuit to achieve the agreed temperature goal of well below the 2 degrees Celsius.”
Shifeta said adaption remains a key priority for Namibia and other developing states. Namibia strongly supports an adaptation goal that is linked to the mitigation goal.
“We support the UN Environment's Emission Gap Report that estimates that developing countries would require about US$ 300 billion by 2030 in order to adapt to climate change.”
Furthermore he said it must be noted that the implementation of the Namibia's NDC is conditioned to the provision of 90% of the financial resources from developed countries.
Shifeta added that COP23 will decide to allow the Adaptation Fund to serve the Paris Agreement.
He said the Adaptation Fund has played a catalytic role in building climate resilience in many developing countries and it has so far built strong reputation in direct access on climate finance and investments.
“Therefore, we cannot afford to lose this very important fund.”
According to him with a strong political will great strides can be made in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
“Let us not be frightened by those who are running away from the responsibility to address climate change. If we unite, as people of the universe, we will always emerge victorious even in the absence of those sneaking out of the Paris Agreement.”
Meanwhile, the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia has signed another agreement worth N$4.3 million with the Green Climate Fund in Bonn. The Namibia Integrated Landscape Approach for Enhancing Livelihoods and Environmental Governance to Eradicate Poverty will be funded through this grant and will be implemented over a period of five years.
ELLANIE SMIT
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