Loss and Damage in the Face of False Solutions

We are at the crossroads of fighting the rise of false solutions in the name of climate actions. During the COP28, on one hand we have compromisingly won the long battle for the adoption of Loss and Damage Fund (FLD) after more than 30 years of negotiation, while on the other hand, the recognition of ´nuclear energy´ as a  clean energy and weak language on ´transitioning away from fossil fuel´ and not ´phasing out fossil fuel´ has  opened doors for proliferation of false solutions and trumping the achievements of climate justice movements. 

Please join us at this side event on 8 June, 11.45-13.00 CET.

Location: Room Bonn – SB60 UNFCCC

[Bonn in-person event] ✨

Speakers:
– Titi Soentoro, Aksi! Indonesia;
– Vladimir Chilinya, FIAN Zambia;
– Adrián Martínez, La Ruta del Clima;
– State representative of Vanuatu;
– Tetet Lauron, Women and Gender Constituency;

Another piece of the puzzle is the rising role of corporations and multilateral development banks both in mobilizing climate finances and funding large scale climate projects. For example, the loss and damage fund is under the World Bank´s auspices, the same institution condemned for funding false climate solutions such as fossil fuel projects, false clean energy solutions and violating human rights.

Multilateral development banks’ motive is profit making, they therefore invest in sectors which have return revenues (large scale energy and infrastructure development). While the most urgent needs of the frontline communities confronting climate crises particularly in the Global South are to rapidly minimize, avert and address loss and damage. In addition, the mechanisms of climate finance provided such as loans, not grants, and countries’ debt servicing puts further stress on developing countries’ capacity to take meaningful climate action.

The impacts of both climate change and false solutions are disproportionate on historically oppressed and subjugated communities such as women, Indigenous Peoples, peasants, children and people with disabilities. In reality, false solutions facilitated by the carbon market mechanism like REDD+, geo engineering, carbon capture mechanisms, bio fuels, hydro dams have worsened the economic and non-economic impacts of loss and damage, facilitated intrusion of private sectors, plundered resources, violated rights of communities and forcibly displaced people as an impact of land and resource grabbing. 

Through this event we would like to revel in the focus of international  climate policy making and call for accountability and justice. For instance, the  developed countries have continuously failed to provide the 100 billion USD climate finance year and are increasingly sliding away from their historical obligations of providing climate finance based on the principle of ´common but differentiated responsibilities´ (CBDR). The nature of ´voluntary contribution´ in the loss and damage fund pledging are some of the evidence that this responsibility is seen by developed countries as ´charity´ rather than based on their human rights obligations and the principle of CBDR. Achieving climate justice requires holding the historically responsible actors and global polluters accountable, protecting and centering those disproportionately affected by climate change, and requires changing the current exploitative and patriarchal global economic and development system. To realize just and equitable transition and tackling climate emergency, we need accountability and justice in addressing loss and damage and climate reparations grounded in human rights.