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Concept Note- G77 Flagship Event

Concept Note

Flagship Event on the occasion of Guyana’s Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China:
“Maintaining a Low Carbon Development Path towards the 2030 Agenda in the Era of COVID-19”
29th October 2020
Georgetown, Guyana

On 29th October 2020, Guyana in its capacity as Chair of the Group of 77 and China (G77 + China), will host a virtual Ministerial Level Meeting, under the theme “Maintaining a Low Carbon Development Path towards the 2030 Agenda in the Era of COVID-19”.

Context    

Climate change remains an existential threat that leaves no room for delayed actions or backsliding on commitments. It is therefore imperative that Parties to the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement maintain the centrality of the climate crisis, in all actions and at all levels. Moreover, implementation of more ambitious climate actions (NDCs) in the Global South requires sustained financing, given the debilitating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on regional, national and local economies. This pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of our health and social systems, the fragility of our economies, the unsustainability of our relationship with nature, and the gaping inequalities in our world. The poorest and most vulnerable have been the hardest hit, and face the most uncertain paths to recovery.  Decades of progress towards eradicating poverty and other deprivations stand to be reversed. Among the lessons learned are the need for enhanced solidarity and greater systemic resilience.   

The response to the pandemic must now aim to build fairer and more inclusive, resilient and sustainable societies and economies.  It should strive to realize the transformations necessary to address the challenges related to climate change and the achievement the Sustainable Development Goals.  Therefore, the Paris Agreement on climate change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, together with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, represent the global roadmap for the recovery from COVID-19 and for an equitable and sustainable future.  They must be at the heart of COVID-19 recovery plans.

Objectives

The Flagship event to be convened by the Government of Guyana, in its capacity as 2020 Chair of the Group of 77 and China, will bring together Ministerial and expert level representatives from the membership of the Group of 77 and China to achieve the following objectives: 

(i) To provide a space for awareness, partnership building, knowledge sharing and lesson learning among the G-77 and China membership on climate action amidst the COVID-19 crisis while recovering towards the 2030 Agenda:

(ii) To reinforce the Group of 77’s position on key issues in the Climate Change discussion including climate finance and ecosystems-based approaches, while also contributing to maximizing SDG co-benefits; and

(iii) To produce a Presidential Communique that highlights the main concerns and actions of the Group.  

These objectives will be realized through four Technical Sessions as outlined below.

Session 1: Framing the discourse

At the start of 2020, the world was not on track to meet many of the SDGs or the obligations and targets of the Paris agreement[1] to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated progress, while illustrating the manifold challenges of dealing with a truly global shock, where all countries and populations are affected.

At the same time, the climate crisis continues unabated, as international action remains well below the commitments made and the ambition needed for reversing climate change. The year 2019 was the second warmest on record, also marking the conclusion of the warmest decade (2010–2019).  It has seen massive wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, floods and other climate disasters across continents. Global temperatures are on track to rise as much as 3.2°C by the end of the century. Greenhouse gas emissions must begin falling by 7.6 per cent each year, starting in 2020, if we are to meet the 1.5°C maximum target called for in the Paris Agreement[2]. Additionally, societies and economies are undergoing a massive reset as part of the response to the pandemic. This session will explore how the measures taken, particularly by G-77 countries during this period can shift our world onto a more equitable, resilient and sustainable path. 

Session 2: Climate Ambition and Climate Finance: Unmasking the Synergistic Relationship to Catalyse Action

Mobilizing financial resources for combatting climate change and realizing the SDGs is of utmost urgency.  It is therefore critical that developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) deliver on their commitment to jointly mobilize $100 billion annually by 2020 to support the climate financing needs of developing countries. 

There is a continual need to improve access to climate finance for the poorest and most vulnerable countries and to ensure a more coordinated approach by bilateral and multilateral agencies to overcome the complex and fragmented climate finance architecture.  Further, efforts need to be made to ensure that climate finance does not worsen growing debt concerns. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, almost half of all least developed countries (LDCs) and other low-income countries (LICs) were at high risk of or in debt distress. Many middle-income countries (MICs) and Small Island Development States (SIDS) are also in debt distress and are highly vulnerable. The majority of climate finance is provided through loans, with grant financing making up about a quarter of public climate finance, with a greater shift needed to grant funding.   Modalities to address debt overhangs and increase resources for climate change should also be explored. 

This session will highlight the profound links between ambitious climate actions and climate finance, and will explore innovative ways in which the global financial architecture (including the GCF) can improve access for developing countries to maintain a climate-resilient development pathway in the context of the 2030 Agenda. 

Session 3: COVID-19 Experiences: Lessons for Combatting Climate Change

The COVID-19 recovery can help to shape more sustainable economies and support achievement of climate goals, as well as the SDGs.  Recovery plans and financial support packages thus need to include measures that address the impact of COVID-19 while reducing GHG emissions, building resilience and restoring progress towards eradicating poverty and inequality while turning the tide against the degradation of nature. They also should include accelerating the transition to renewables, with universal access to affordable modern energy services and transport, as well as to inclusive and sustainable sanitation systems. 

This session will facilitate sharing of experiences and lessons learned from the COVID 19 response,-such as the: use of science and data in policy making;  establishing public trust in science; importance of infrastructure;  proactive response as a precautionary measure; leveraging technology and innovation for solutions; role of international cooperation, including South-South Cooperation, in supporting developing countries in their responses, and;  need for  vital changes in policy and institutions at all levels. The session will allow for sharing of country experiences and practical actions in these contexts.

Session 4: Ecosystem based Approaches to Climate Change

Ecosystem-based approaches have emerged as a key instrument to confront these concerns across sectors of business and society, offering multiple benefits in a potentially cost-effective manner. The concept of an ‘ecosystem-based approach’ builds on the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) definition, stating that: “the ecosystem approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way” and which aspires to maintain the natural structure and functioning of ecosystems.

This aim of this session is to allow sharing of case studies that demonstrate ecosystem approaches that maintain existing carbon stocks, regulate water flow and storage, maintain and increase resilience, reduce vulnerability of ecosystems and people, help societies to adapt to climate change impacts, improve biodiversity conservation, increase livelihood opportunities and provide health and recreational benefits. In particular, it will showcase Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy that aims to transform Guyana’s economy to deliver greater economic and social development for the population by following a low carbon development path; and provides a model for the world of how climate change can be addressed through low carbon development in developing countries, if the international community takes the necessary collective actions, especially relating to REDD+.

Programme to be circulated shortly.


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