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Mercredi 6 novembre, le commissaire désigné à la Santé, Olivér Várhelyi, n’a pas obtenu l’aval des commissions de l’Agriculture (AGRI) et de l’Environnement (ENVI), et devra par écrit fournir des précisions aux eurodéputés. Et passer une seconde audition.

The EPP's 15 proposed amendments, obtained by Euractiv, may need support from the Parliament's right-wing to pass.

A flood in Feni City, Bangladesh. Bangladesh, which is one of the most climate-sensitive regions in the world, is particularly vulnerable to climate shocks, such as rising sea levels. Credit: UNICEF/Alaa Seoudy

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 7 2024 (IPS)

Cities are in a unique position, simultaneously the biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses and the most affected areas of the greenhouse effect. As a new UN report shows that rapid urbanization and industrialization have adverse effects on the environment, causing a rise in sea levels, prolonged rainfalls and flooding, and an increase in overall temperature. The coastal areas that cities most often inhabit face the brunt of these effects, with marginalized populations being the most vulnerable.

The United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) World Cities Report 2024 details a comprehensive list of findings from studies that focused on the relationship between urban development, climate change, and the exacerbation of existing inequalities.

The report stresses the urgency of action to alleviate the climate crisis. 2023 was recorded as the hottest year in human history, making humanitarian organizations, climate groups and world leaders fear that the climate crisis could threaten “civilization collapse”.

“The global rise in temperatures continues unabated, leading to a recurring and escalating trend of extreme weather events—heatwaves, hurricanes, storms, floods, fires and other hazards—posing severe threats to lives, livelihoods and well-being, especially among marginalized populations. The vulnerabilities of these communities mean that routine weather events can become full blown humanitarian crises, with their attendant impacts: loss of lives, property destruction and displacement,” says the report.

According to figures from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the first two decades of the 21st century have been approximately 1°C hotter than the century preceding it. Key findings from the World Cities Report project that if the world follows its current global practices, more than 2 billion people would be exposed to hotter climates. 99 percent of all urban populations would be subjected to more arid climates.

Climate change in urban environments is projected to generate massive losses for the global economy. It is estimated that by 2030, annual losses from global heating and natural disasters could reach over 430 billion dollars. By 2050, it is estimated that extreme weather events associated with the greenhouse effect could destroy over 25 trillion dollars’ worth of housing.

In addition, the rising temperatures in cities create a host of problems for both civilians and urban infrastructure. It is estimated that over 180 million people in cities around the world would face water scarcity due to urban water reserves drying up or becoming compromised. Hotter temperatures also lead to a higher demand for cooling, which can exhaust local power grids, resulting in blackouts.

“When buildings, homes and vital infrastructure like water and transportation systems are poorly planned, built and managed, they are no match for climate-fueled disasters like rising seas, heatwaves, and other extreme weather impacts. This challenge disproportionately affects the poorest and most vulnerable people,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Rising sea levels are of particular concern for urban developments. According to the IPCC, average worldwide sea level is projected to rise between 0.43 and 0.84 meters by 2100, in relation to the sea level in 1986-2005. The impacts of this will affect coastal communities the most. According to C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Inc., a coalition of 96 cities around the world that amount to one twelfth of the world’s population, by the year 2050 over 800 million people from 570 cities will live in cities that are impacted by coastal inundation. Furthermore, estimates suggest that rising sea levels could cause over 1 trillion dollars in damages by the midpoint of the century.

In the United States, for instance, New York and Miami are projected to face a rise in global sea level that is three times faster than average. South Asian cities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, and Dhaka, are expected to have the highest number of civilians at risk of coastal inundation, between 11 and 14 million.

Flooding and natural disasters are also a concerning byproduct of climate change that will have adverse effects on urban environments. According to the report, exposure to flooding from climate change has grown significantly in urban areas from lower income countries. For urban communities, exposure to floods is expected to grow 20 percent by 2025 and another 20 percent by 2030.

In 2023, it was reported that 1,700 people were killed by climate driven flooding in Pakistan. In late October of this year, Spain’s residential province Valencia was struck with prolonged torrential rains and flooding that killed over 200 people and caused billions of dollars in damages. Hurricane Rafael, an ongoing tropical cyclone, is expected to cause significant flooding and hazardous weather conditions in cities along the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay County area.

Historically, marginalized communities have been disproportionately affected by climate driven disasters in urban environments. Facing systemic inequalities and limited access to basic services, vulnerable groups are having their issues greatly exacerbated by rising temperatures. According to UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach, women, children, people with disabilities, older people, migrants, minorities, indigenous people, and individuals living below the poverty line are typically situated in areas that are particularly environmentally sensitive and lack protective structures. Additionally, these groups are less likely to receive support.

According to the World Cities Report, communities in slums face an “unrelenting cycle of hardship”. Due to relying on agriculture or other climate-sensitive industries for income, certain urban communities are kept in a state of poverty. These communities often live in areas with low drainage or sanitation, few to no medical and educational facilities, and in low quality housing that is highly susceptible to destruction from extreme weather events.

This comes with a host of adverse health effects as well. Climate change exacerbates unsafe working conditions for lower income communities, with death and injury being frequent. Climate shocks, like storms, heatwaves, and floods cause large scale food system disruptions, leading to hunger and famine. Food security continues to be a major issue for marginalized groups in urban areas.

Furthermore, water reserves in slums are often compromised by extreme weather events and lack governmental support to rectify these issues. This leads to the spread of vector-borne diseases. Health complications, such as cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental health issues, run rampant in these areas as well, with limited to no access to healthcare or medications.

In order to prevent a wide scale loss of human life in urban environments, it is crucial to address these systemic inequalities and begin adopting healthier global practices to mitigate the greenhouse effect. “City and local leaders must also continue to be at the forefront of the fight against climate change. In many cases, cities are going further and faster than national governments in limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The success or failure of new national climate plans will be realized at the community level, and local leaders must be involved every step of the way,” said Guterres.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Präsident Donald Trump hat sich mit den Wahlen am Dienstag (5. November) eine zweite Amtszeit im Weißen Haus gesichert. Der Wahlkampf war gestützt auf Versprechen zu Migration, Wirtschaft, globalen Konflikten, „Kulturkriegen“ und sogar Kryptowährungen.

Big Meat and Dairy are working hard to derail climate action.

Vladimir Petkovic défend ses choix. Il parle notamment du retour de Farès Chaïbi, la convocation du jeune Amin Chiakha. Il évoque également l’avenir de certains […]

L’article Retour de Chaïbi, convocation de Chiakha, avenir de Belaïli en sélection… Petkovic dit tout est apparu en premier sur .

Wopke Hoekstra from the Netherlands, Commissioner-designate for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth, was questioned by three committees on Thursday morning.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Wopke Hoekstra from the Netherlands, Commissioner-designate for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth, was questioned by three committees on Thursday morning.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Wopke Hoekstra from the Netherlands, Commissioner-designate for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth, was questioned by three committees on Thursday morning.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Wopke Hoekstra from the Netherlands, Commissioner-designate for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth, was questioned by three committees on Thursday morning.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

La neuro-oncologie est une spécialité médicale qui se consacre à l’étude et au traitement des tumeurs cérébrales. Les neuro-oncologues, ces médecins experts, luttent au quotidien […]

L’article Neuro-oncologie : tout savoir sur les tumeurs cérébrales, du diagnostic aux traitements est apparu en premier sur .

À l’occasion de l’ouverture de l’agence Belux Éclairage à Sétif, l’entreprise, leader de l’éclairage et du mobilier urbain en Algérie, offre, les 4 et 5 […]

L’article L’Académie Lumière de Belux offre une formation gratuite les 4 et 5 décembre à Sétif est apparu en premier sur .

Several times, Hoekstra sidestepped firm policy commitments, arguing it could undermine the Parliament's future work on the files.

The Foreign Affairs Committee questioned Marta Kos, Slovenian candidate for the Enlargement portfolio, on Thursday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The Foreign Affairs Committee questioned Marta Kos, Slovenian candidate for the Enlargement portfolio, on Thursday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The Foreign Affairs Committee questioned Marta Kos, Slovenian candidate for the Enlargement portfolio, on Thursday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The Foreign Affairs Committee questioned Marta Kos, Slovenian candidate for the Enlargement portfolio, on Thursday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The Foreign Affairs Committee questioned Marta Kos, Slovenian candidate for the Enlargement portfolio, on Thursday.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

A flooded village in Matiari, in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Credit: UNICEF/Asad Zaidi

By Umar Manzoor Shah
NAIROBI, Nov 7 2024 (IPS)

The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) 2024 Adaptation Gap Report has warned that adaptation actions are not keeping pace with the surging demands of a warming planet. Released ahead of the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, the report—titled Come Hell and High Water—projected a bleak future where vulnerable communities bear the brunt of climate-induced hardships. 

It stresses that robust, well-funded adaptation strategies are vital to safeguarding those most at risk and calls for immediate, substantial global action in adaptation planning, finance, and implementation. With the surging demands of a warming planet. Released ahead of the COP 29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, the report—titled Come Hell and High Water—projects a bleak future where vulnerable communities bear the brunt of climate-induced hardships. 

It stresses that robust, well-funded adaptation strategies are vital to safeguarding those most at risk and calls for immediate, substantial global action in adaptation planning, finance, and implementation.

Wildfires, floods, and rising temperatures continue to inflict devastating impacts on people worldwide, especially the poor. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen has underlined the urgency of scaling up adaptation efforts: “The world is failing to adapt to current climate impacts, let alone those that will come if we do not cut greenhouse gas emissions decisively.

“It is time to treat adaptation as one of humanity’s top priorities, alongside emissions reduction. Those already facing the consequences deserve effective, fair adaptation actions that address their unique needs.”

Furthermore, the report stresses that the scale of climate impacts is moving faster than the world’s response.

“Adaptation is no longer a distant option; it is now a priority,” says UNEP’s Chief Scientific Editor Henry Neufeldt, summarizing the report’s call for urgent action. The report arrives at a time when nations are expected to boost their financial commitments for adaptation as part of the Glasgow Climate Pact.

This Pact urges developed countries to double adaptation finance to developing nations by 2025, a goal that aligns with the need for a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, slated for negotiation at COP29.

Also, UNEP notes that adaptation finance reached only USD 28 billion in 2022, up from USD 22 billion the previous year. While this is a notable increase, it remains far below what is needed to address the vast scale of climate change impacts. According to UNEP, estimated global adaptation needs range between USD 215 billion and USD 387 billion per year through 2030, leaving a significant financing shortfall. Even doubling current financing flows would close only a small fraction of the adaptation finance gap.

“We can’t rely on one source alone. The financial burden is too great,” says Neufeldt. “We must pursue creative financing models and mobilize both public and private sectors to ensure resources reach those who need them most.”

According to the report, 87 percent of the world’s countries have at least one adaptation plan in place, though the quality and coverage vary significantly.

Out of the 197 UN member countries, 171 have established at least one national adaptation instrument, yet 10 nations—most grappling with internal conflict or political instability—are yet to initiate formal adaptation planning. Furthermore, many adaptation plans lack specific timeframes and budgets, undermining their effectiveness.

Anne Hammill from the International Institute for Sustainable Development, who co-authored a chapter on adaptation planning, writes in the report, “There’s a noticeable increase in awareness and preparation for adaptation planning globally. However, for some nations, fragility and limited capacity present obstacles to formulating and executing these plans.”

Moreover, UNEP finds that only 68 percent of countries with national adaptation plans align these strategies with their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the climate pledges under the Paris Agreement. This disconnect, as per the report, has resulted in overlapping efforts and inefficient resource use.

“When countries update their NDCs, they must ensure these are harmonized with adaptation plans,” Hammill notes. “This alignment is essential to avoid duplicated efforts and to streamline investments where they matter most.”

The uneven quality of adaptation plans means that even those countries with established strategies may struggle with execution. In many cases, adaptation projects—particularly those with international funding—don’t have long-lasting effects. For example, almost half of the projects evaluated were rated either unsatisfactory or unsustainable without continued external funding.

“Adaptation actions need long-term funding and local support to be effective. Temporary measures, while beneficial in the short run, often fail to address underlying vulnerabilities in the long term,” reads the report.

Slow Implementation Leaves Vulnerable Communities Exposed
The report reveals that implementation of adaptation measures lags significantly behind planning efforts, leaving at-risk communities dangerously exposed to climate impacts. An analysis of data shows that adaptation implementation has not kept pace with the accelerating rate of climate change. Floods, wildfires, and extreme weather events increasingly affect millions, yet financial and institutional barriers stymie progress in implementing effective adaptation measures.

The report elaborates, “The data on adaptation implementation is concerning. Many countries start strong with initial adaptation projects, but sustaining them has proven challenging. This gap between planning and action often leads to severe consequences for vulnerable communities.”

In addition to the need for more robust financing mechanisms, UNEP underlines the importance of inclusive adaptation measures that integrate the voices of marginalized communities. Many of the most impacted groups, including women, indigenous peoples, and economically disadvantaged populations, are frequently excluded from the planning process.

“Adaptation must be inclusive and equitable,” Hammill says. “Vulnerable groups often face the worst climate impacts, yet their voices remain underrepresented in the adaptation process.”

The Adaptation Finance Gap: A Call for New Approaches
A central focus of the report is the persistent adaptation finance gap. Although public adaptation finance flows to developing countries saw a record year-on-year increase, UNEP stresses that even substantial gains fall far short of what is required. “Current financing levels are simply inadequate. Doubling the finance might reduce the gap by about 5%, but we need much more ambitious targets to meet the needs.”

To bridge the finance gap, the report advocates a shift from reactive, project-based funding to a more proactive, transformative approach. This requires financing for anticipatory and systemic adaptation actions, such as building climate-resilient infrastructure and enhancing social protection. According to UNEP, innovative financing instruments, such as resilience bonds, risk insurance, and payments for ecosystem services, could mobilize new sources of adaptation funding.

The report points out that the private sector has a key role to play. “While public funds are essential, we need private investments to scale up adaptation,” it explains, adding that in sectors such as agriculture, water, and infrastructure, private finance can be instrumental if de-risking measures are implemented. However, private finance is often inaccessible to the most vulnerable; there is a need for public-private partnerships and targeted government support.

Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer for Effective Adaptation
Beyond finance, UNEP’s report also calls for stronger investments in capacity-building and technology transfer. These efforts are vital to empowering developing nations to manage climate impacts effectively. According to the report, developing countries require additional support for building local adaptation capacity in sectors like agriculture, water management, and public health.

The report also highlights the importance of a multifaceted approach. “Capacity-building must go beyond technical solutions. It requires investing in human resources, policy frameworks, and long-term community engagement. While we see capacity needs highlighted in many national plans, a strategic, coordinated approach is still missing.”

The report indicates that sectors such as food and agriculture receive the most technology-related development finance, yet other crucial areas like coastal protection and disaster preparedness need more support. For example, developing countries face obstacles in adopting technologies like solar-powered irrigation due to high installation and maintenance costs, making widespread use challenging. It suggests that bridging this technology gap will require both public investment and private sector involvement.

Path Forward at COP 29 and Beyond
As COP 29 approaches, the 2024 Adaptation Gap Report has pinned the need for decisive action in Baku to secure global adaptation commitments. At the heart of these discussions is the establishment of a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, a successor to the USD 100 billion annual goal set in 2010. This new target, UNEP argues, must prioritize adaptation and recognize the unique challenges faced by developing nations.

Andersen, who will lead UNEP’s delegation to COP 29, expresses hope that the international community will rally around adaptation as a central theme.

In addition to setting an ambitious finance goal, COP 29 will discuss mechanisms for better tracking adaptation actions, establishing loss and damage funding, and addressing the debt burdens that restrict developing nations from prioritizing adaptation investments. UNEP advocates for debt relief and restructuring as a way to free up funds for climate adaptation, particularly in nations where high debt costs eclipse adaptation funding.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Der designierte Kommissar für Verteidigung, Andrius Kubilius, bekräftigte, dass die EU ihre Verteidigungsausgaben erhöhen sollte. Auch wenn es Unsicherheiten durch die neue Trump-Administration gebe, müsse man sich auf die Abwehr russischer Aggressionen vorbereiten