KATHMANDU, Nov 28: ActionAid International and ActionAid Nepal have said that COP28 should deliver loss and damage funds to the climate disaster affected communities around the world.

In a statement issued on the eve of COP28, which will kick-off from Thursday in Dubai, ActionAid has argued that the wealthy and polluting countries have a clear moral obligation to fill the fund and finally provide real support to the countries and communities being pushed deeper into poverty by climate change.

“The eyes of the world, especially Global South communities, will be firmly on COP28 to deliver on the long-overdue Loss and Damage Fund so that frontline communities can recover from the floods, droughts, and cyclones that are wrecking lives around the world,"  ActionAid International’s Global Lead on Climate Justice, said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

In a similar vein, Sujeeta Mathema, ActionAid Nepal's executive director, also stated that "the urgency of the Loss and Damage Fund cannot be overstated."

Saying that the climate induced loss and damage is having an impact on the country like Nepal, Mathema added, "Our global campaign amplifies the voices of the vulnerable, demanding political and social change. Through local solutions like agro-ecology, we strive to transform extractive economies into regenerative ones. Together, we can create a sustainable future that addresses climate harm and supports those most affected.”

She also demanded that the developed nations must step up, acknowledging their role in climate change, and contribute the essential billions to aid frontline communities in recovery.

For a successful COP 28, Action Aid has forwarded five climate justice benchmarks.

First, Leaders must agree on and put money in the new Loss and Damage Fund so that communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis can rebuild and recover in the aftermath of climate disasters. Second, COP28 must agree to phase out fossil fuels in a way that is fair, fully financed, and enables just transitions. The third benchmark according to ActionAid is, "The world’s finances are flowing in the wrong direction and a shift is necessary to stop doing harm and build a more sustainable future."

Similarly, the forth benchmark is related to the frank analysis and a real ramping up of climate action.

In its fifth benchmark, ActionAid has emphasized agriculture and food security.

"The new work programme on Agriculture and Food Security to be agreed upon at COP28 must talk about real solutions such as agroecology to make farmers and food systems fit for purpose in an era of climate change," the organization said.

Working against poverty and injustice worldwide, ActionAid is an international non-governmental organization. It is a federation of 45 country offices that works with communities, often via local partner organizations, on a range of development issues.

 
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