UNEP chief urges G20 to stop delaying climate action, warns of growing cost of inaction

By Nuran Erkul Kaya

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AA) - G20 countries must be at the forefront of action on emissions reduction and loss and damage because the longer countries delay climate mitigation, the more costly it will be in both humanitarian and economic terms, Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), told Anadolu Agency in an interview.

Andersen's remarks came at the end of the first week of negotiations at the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, running in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh from Nov. 6 to 18.

Recalling UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' words on loss and damage, she stated that COP27 must provide a clear and time-bound roadmap for closing the finance gap for addressing loss and damage, which will be the central litmus test for success at COP27, adding that progress on this issue is absolutely critical.

This year's COP agenda includes loss and damage finance for the first time. The countries known as the "global south" have demonstrated great determination in acquiring such finance given their losses have been much more than they can handle on their own.

"When we look at how much the G20 countries have delayed climate action, especially those with a long historical carbon trail, and the fact that the G20 countries are responsible for 75% of all emissions, then clearly we need to see action on emissions reduction and on loss and damage," Andersen said.

"The longer we delay climate mitigation, the more expensive it will be in terms of adaptation costs, loss and damage," she added.

Although developed countries committed to providing $100 billion per year in 2019 to address the needs of developing countries by 2020, obtaining this money has been hard, she said.

Some progress on this has been made as countries are closer to committing $83 billion in 2022, but she warned that "the $100 billion is the floor, not the ceiling."

"Progress on loss and damage is critical. We understand that the bill is being paid by the poorest, those who have contributed the least carbon," she said.

According to UNEP’s latest report, the developing world needs as much as $340 billion a year by 2030 for adaptation to climate change.

- Reluctance on loss and damage seen given its expense

She explained that after the pandemic hit, countries worldwide were able to muster $13 trillion to save lives.

"Governments borrowed money from the future, from the next generations. But we managed to find a way forward," Andersen said.

She argued that climate change is so much worse because no one is immune and there is no vaccine available for it, with the poorest suffering the most.

She cited Pakistan, where one-third of the country was flooded, and Nigeria, where 1.5 million people have been displaced as a result of the effects of climate change, noting that the costs of such displacement in terms of humanitarian and human suffering, as well as infrastructure, are enormous.

Andersen acknowledged that there is a reluctance to act on the loss and damage agenda because it is costly, and many developed countries are committed to high-emitting energy sources.

"The truth is, we are living in a carbon trap even if we do not want to. We all have a responsibility to reduce carbon emissions. Obviously, those that have developed longer, like the G20, have a special and unique responsibility," she said, noting that the G20 countries are responsible for 75% of all emissions.

She chastised these countries for failing to decarbonize their economies and urged them to assist countries suffering the most who have done nothing to contribute to the crisis.

- G20 has opportunity in meeting this week to take action

On the second week of negotiations at the COP27, Andersen said that COP27 President Samet Shoukry has been clear that he will do what he can to deliver on this agenda item, in the hopes of forming a roadmap for loss and damage.

"But G20 countries, among them those with the highest carbon emissions, carry a unique and special responsibility on this issue, and they are meeting this week. They have an opportunity to lean in or not. I obviously want them to lean in," Andersen said.

G20 leaders will meet in Bali, Indonesia, from Nov. 15 to 16. While the official agenda of the Leaders Summit is global health architecture, sustainable transition, and digital transformation, the leaders’ agenda also includes the energy and inflation crises, as well as Russia's war in Ukraine.

"Those who have a longer historical trail, of course, and greater economic resources, should do as much as they can," she said.

Andersen explained that the solution in the fight against climate change is in renewables, with a promising employment and growth rate predicted in a new climate economy.

- Progress is not fast enough

When the parties convened in Paris in 2015, the projection for the rise in global warming was about 4 degrees by 2100, but with the current policies, the world is set for a rise of 2.8 degrees by the end of the century, which Andersen described as unacceptable.

She argued that progress is not fast enough because small islands and developing countries will suffer more if the world continues to warm at this rate.

"Thus, this summit is the implementation COP, and we need more and much faster action," Andersen said.

She added that faster action requires strong political leadership, with those who want to lead needing to think beyond their next election term.

"They are accountable for generations, and the decisions they take now or fail to take will determine the fate of the future of our world. Their responsibility is heavy and noble but they have to lead, the G20 especially, as they meet in Indonesia. They must lean in with this regard."

- After hitting 1.5 degrees, science says warming would be unstoppable

According to the 2022 Global Carbon Budget report, which was released at COP27 last week, global CO2 emissions are still at record levels due to the use of fossil fuels and show no signs of decreasing.

She said that with the melting of the two polar ice caps, "we are in a runaway situation" and the warming increase cannot be brought down.

If emissions persist at current levels, there is now a 50% chance that global warming of 1.5°C will be exceeded in nine years, she cautioned.

"The science says that becomes then it is sort of unstoppable. I fear passing the 1.5 degrees, I fear for everyone, every small island and developing states. I fear for food security and droughts," Andersen said.

Even now with 1.1 degrees of warming increase the world is seeing devastating impacts, and with 1.5 degrees warming or beyond, it will be catastrophic, she warned.