COP28 and COP29 Presidencies host high-level event to support climate action for peace, relief and recovery

On the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Presidencies of both the 28th and 29th Conferences of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28 and COP29) hosted a high-level event on climate action and finance in vulnerable countries facing conflict and humanitarian crises. The meeting saw the participation of more than 30 parties to preview plans and announcements for the Peace, Relief, and Recovery Day, which will take place at COP29 in Baku on November 15. This will be the second Relief, Peace, and Recovery Day, following the inaugural day held at COP28 in December at Expo City Dubai.
 
The discussions highlighted policy, finance, and field practices to tackle the ongoing challenges for highly climate-vulnerable countries facing conflict and humanitarian situations to access financial resources and implement adaptation measures. These countries receive the lowest levels of climate finance globally, despite the significant development and stability benefits that investment in food, water, energy, and broader resilience can provide.
 
“Climate investment in the most vulnerable countries is an urgent priority and a high-impact opportunity for development, humanitarian relief, and peace,” said His Excellency Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability of the UAE. “COP28 brought unprecedented political attention and resources to this cause, and the UAE is pleased to be partnering with Azerbaijan to ensure that the climate process remains focused on the least-served communities, as well as preventing loss and damage.”
 
“We appreciate dedicated cooperation with UAE in follow up of flagship COP28 CRRP Declaration, registering urgent call of the most vulnerable on the need to operationalize it at COP29. We are also thankful in this regard for broad support by participants of high-level event toward Baku Climate and Peace Action Hub to be launched at COP29 Peace Relief and Recovery Day. The joint objective we share with UAE as well as Co-lead partners is to bring together different climate and peace related initiatives to create a synergy to scale up international cooperation and climate finance for the most vulnerable” – stated Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov, Senior Advisor to COP29 Presidency.
 
Political commitment and reforms to support climate action in countries facing conflict and humanitarian crises have increased in recent years. Ninety-three countries and 43 organizations have signed the COP28 UAE Declaration on Relief, Recovery, and Peace. Additionally, COP28 last year marked the first Relief, Recovery, and Peace Day in COP history. Azerbaijan has championed this agenda during its presidency, and in July, the COP29 Climate and Peace Co-lead Group issued a communiqué envisaging outcomes including the launch of a climate and Peace Action Hub to deepen dialogue, promote synergies between regional and trans-regional climate and peace initiatives, and undertake joint actions. The communiqué also outlined key issues of water scarcity, food insecurity, land degradation and restoration, and climate-related migration.
 
Major finance providers at the event in New York – held in partnership with Chad, Germany, Timor-Leste, Uganda, and the United Kingdom – outlined climate initiatives in the most vulnerable settings. The Green Climate Fund described plans for additional customized climate programs for fragile countries, building on its landmark deal with Somalia shortly after COP28. The Islamic Development Bank described operationalization of its pledge at COP28 to provide over USD 1 billion of climate finance for fragile countries over three years. The UN for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the growing share of anticipatory action for climate threats under the Central Emergency Response Fund.
 
The COP29 Presidency also detailed plans for the Peace, Relief, Recovery Day, as well as its High-Level Ministerial Panel on November 15 at COP29, to assess the implementation of the agenda since COP28 and drive new commitments.