Dubai, UAE – As negotiations enter their critical final stage, climate change policy experts from the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are warning that a lack of agreement on an adaptation ‘Global Goal’ and a lack of progress on adaptation to a changed climate could cost hundreds of thousands lives.

Last week, leaders at the COP28 meeting in Dubai acknowledged the “significant” gap in funding for country-wide adaptations to climate change. A recent report said finance for adaptation needs to reach US$194 billion to US$366 billion per year. Yet the most recent evidence shows that adaptation funding went down 15 per cent in 2021 from the previous year, to US$24.6 billion.

Mary Friel, the IFRC’s Climate Policy lead said:

“As we enter week two of COP, adaptation - essential to saving lives - falls behind. Limited progress on a new Global Goal and slow action to deliver on the doubling of adaptation finance, as agreed in Glasgow two years ago, is deeply worrying. It puts the success of this COP in doubt.

“The historic progress on Loss and Damage which began this COP was a notable success. But not moving forward on adaptation would be a major failure.”

Kirsten Hagon, IFRC Head of Global Policy and Diplomacy said:

“Extreme weather and climate related events don’t have to lead to disasters, but they will if we fail to invest in adaptation. The urgency felt by communities facing rising sea levels, droughts, floods or heatwaves is missing in the negotiation rooms on the adaptation agenda. It’s time to set aside disagreements and focus on positive action desperately needed for people and communities to protect their livelihoods, save lives and prevent loss and damage.”

Both Mary Friel and Kirsten Hagon are available, from Dubai, to talk about progress, and the lack of progress, of negotiations. 

For interviews: please contact: [email protected] or, in Geneva, Andrew Thomas on +41763676587