Tag: loss and damage

Counting on day 214

14th November 2024

“Let’s dispense with any idea that climate finance is charity;” runaway climate change is impacting “every single individual in the world one way or another,” Mr. Stiell, the UN climate chief,  said on Monday.

Why do poorer nations (in particular) need climate finance? Because it can enable them to: 

  • take action to mitigate against the causes of climate change  – eg switching to renewable energy, replacing wood/coal fired cooking stoves with electric ones, greening heavy industry; 
  • take action to adapt to the ongoing effects of climate change – eg insulating buildings against extremes of heat, upgrading flood defences, improving early weather warning systems;
  • cover the costs of damage caused by extreme weather and other destructive effects caused by climate change.

1st Sunday of Advent

3rd December 2023

Reflection (readings are below)

My mother once commented that it would be helpful if when you were first pregnant your toenails turned blue. Usually there is no visible sign of the new presence in your life – it’s still a hidden mystery. 

Is that true of God’s presence in the world? Would God’s presence be less of a mystery if God really did tear open the heavens, set fire to the brush wood and boil the rivers?

Or is it that the signs are there and we are not reading them correctly? This last summer was a record season for bush fires, and many rivers ran dry, the water – if not boiling – then evaporating. If so, these signs of God’s presence have a message: if you misuse the world that God has created, there will be  adverse consequences. 

And do we tremble as we see forest fires rage in other parts of the world? Do we quake when we see floods destroy homes and livelihoods in other parts of the globe? (We, that is, in the wealth secure west). Or do we remain convinced that we are invincible, that the climate crisis will not affect our lives?

Let’s suppose we did recognise God’s presence in the world, that we did let our hearts and minds be stunned by what we saw. Would we then repent wholeheartedly of the harm we had caused? Would we then wholeheartedly reorientate our lives to align with God’s will for the care of creation? Would  we then wholeheartedly seek to heal and make good the damage we had caused?

This week saw the formal adoption of the global Loss and Damage fund at COP28 – an acknowledgement that the most vulnerable are  suffering disproportionately from the effects of climate change caused disproportionately by the wealthy nations, and that therefore those with monetary wealth should assist those with out. 

A laudable scheme except that the sums of money proffered by the rich are miserly. The UK government has offered £60million whilst being fully aware of calculations prepared by Christian Aid, that somewhere in the region of £15billion (1) would be the appropriate contribution to a global fund which will need to be distributing $100billion a year. 

We need to do better. We need to ask more of our government. To echo the words of the Psalmist, ‘Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.’

In this season of Advent, we remind ourselves again that even whilst we are living through a time of suffering, there will come a time of salvation when Christ’s glory will be fully revealed, will be fully made present. As we wait, as we direct our lives towards that future, it is faith in/ of Jesus that will enrich us in word and deed. 

Yet waiting is not about do nothing.  It is not about being passive. It is not about abdicating our responsibilities. It is about working diligently to bring in the kingdom. It is about doing all that we can – in word and deed – to ensure justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. 

May all these three shape the discussions and outcomes of COP28!

(1) https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/climate-change/loss-and-damage-faqs

Isaiah 64:1-9

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence–

as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil–

to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!

When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

From ages past no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.

You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.

But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed.

We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.

We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;

for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people.

Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18

1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.

3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?

5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6 You have made us the derision of our neighbours, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

17 And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.

18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind– just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you– so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Mark 13:24-37

Jesus said, “In those days, after that suffering,

the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Counting on … day 1.221

22nd November 2023

This week Christian Climate Action is embarking on its campaign to ask MPs to support the Loss and Damage Fund. 

If you too want to participate you can find a template letter to send  your MP on CCA’s web site – https://christianclimateaction.org/events/

Or via this link  – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sa7QyhFFMC2mpobJJG0Z8G3XOErzz5b-_O9-glkC1V8/edit?usp=sharing

Why is this important?

The climate crisis is being felt across the world but the damage is inflicted unevenly. Some countries – often the poorest – are being hit harder. And perversely these are countries that have contributed least to the problem. 

Malawi, for example, has been inflicted by intense tropical storms – most recently Cyclone Freddy with 200 deaths – flooding, mud slides, and droughts. But Malawi struggles to cover the cost of the damage as it is already heavily burden with foreign debt as it tries to improve the economy and living standards of its people.

The UK, which profited from early industrialisation, has emitted 78,500 million tonnes CO2e since the start of the Industrial Revolution, whilst Malawi has emitted a mere 52 million tonnes. The UK is a wealthy nation with GDP of $3,871,790 million, whilst Malawi has a GDP of only $37,900 million. (Populations are approx 68 million and 21 million respectively).

The injustice in this situation gave rise to the proposal at COP26 for a Loss and Damage Fund. This fund will use money supplied by the wealthy – those who caused the CO2 pollution – to pay for the damage being suffered by the most vulnerable. In the two years since then committees have been working out the details of the scheme. Once finalised this is to be ratified at the forthcoming COP28.

Of current concern is whether the UK government will continue to a) support the introduction of the Loss and Damage Fund, and b) whether it will be willing to contribute its fair share.

For justice -Loss and Damage Day

23rd September 2023

Surely no one would turn against the needy when they cry for help in their trouble. Job 30: 24

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading from Ezekiel 7:10-12 (from The Message)

“‘Judgment Day! Fate has caught up with you.
The sceptre outsized and pretentious, pride bursting all bounds,
Violence strutting,    

brandishing the evil sceptre.
But there’s nothing to them,    

and nothing will be left of them.
Time’s up.    

Countdown: five, four, three, two . . . 
Buyer, don’t boast; seller, don’t worry:    

Judgment wrath has turned the world topsy-turvy.
The bottom has dropped out of buying and selling.    

It will never be the same again.
But don’t fantasise an upturn in the market.    

The country is bankrupt because of its sins,
 and it’s not going to get any better.

And in response, a reading from Exodus 22: 21-29a

 “Don’t abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.

“Don’t mistreat widows or orphans. If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure I’ll take them most seriously; I’ll show my anger and come raging among you with the sword, and your wives will end up widows and your children orphans.

 “If you lend money to my people, to any of the down-and-out among you, don’t come down hard on them and gouge them with interest.

“If you take your neighbour’s coat as security, give it back before nightfall; it may be your neighbour’s only covering—what else does the person have to sleep in? And if I hear the neighbour crying out from the cold, I’ll step in—I’m compassionate.

 “Don’t curse God; and don’t damn your leaders.

 “Don’t be stingy as your vats fill up.”

Intercessions:

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of

Libya, Greece, Brazil, Rawanda and Pakistan, 

for all whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by floods, 

whose schools and hospitals have been overwhelmed, 

whose crops and livestock have been drowned.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of 

Madagascar and Mozambique, China andTaiwan, 

Nova Scotia, Myanmar and Bangladesh 

for all whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by storms, 

where roads and public services have been overwhelmed, 

whose crops and livestock have been drowned.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of Somali and Yemen, 

of Haiti, Mali and Burkina Faso, of Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria, 

for all whose face drought and starvation, 

for all whose harvests have cultivated in vain, 

for all who have no reserves to fall back on.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of Sri Lanka, Venzuela, 

Senegal, Mozambique  and the Democratic Republic of Lao,

and for all whose economies are ravaged by debt, 

whose infrastructure suffers neglect 

as money is sidelined for interest repayments,

where future investment is blighted.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

With penitence, may we acknowledge our ignorance and callousness.

With humility, we seek to make amends.

With determination, may we press for polluters to pay.

With God’s grace, let us seek a new future of care and justice for all creation. 

 Amen. 

Green Tau issue 79: Loss and Damage

22nd September 2023

What is ‘Loss and Damage’?

Christian Aid provides the following definition:

“Loss and damage’ is a term used in UN climate talks to refer to the consequences of climate change that go beyond what people can adapt to. Like when extreme droughts turn farmland into dust. The climate crisis is affecting vulnerable communities around the world. People are losing their homes and their livelihoods right now. 

“Some of the loss and damage that’s occurring can be measured in economic terms, such as impacts on farming or tourism – but the loss of lives or the trauma of having to migrate from your ancestral home is much harder to quantify, and even more devastating.

“’ We can’t adapt to the loss of our cultures, the loss of our identities, the loss of our histories. We can’t adapt to extinction or to starvation. We cannot adapt to loss and damage.’ – Vanessa Nakate (2022)” (1b) Vanessa Nakate is a Ugandan climate activist who was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2022.

Data from Christian Aid suggests that for the year 2022, extreme climate events in South Africa (flooding), Pakistan (flooding), the Caribbean(tropical cyclone) and Brazil (drought) caused damage costing in excess of $15.5 billion (1). In addition there were ‘smaller’ climate events plus the ongoing year by year degradation of farming and industrial output in many countries. Christian Aid’s 2022 report, ‘The Cost to Africa’, “suggests GDP per capita in African states is 13.6% lower than if there had been no global heating between 1991 and 2010. This trend is predicted to continue. If governments globally meet their target of limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, by 2100 the average hit to GDP in African states will be 34%. If we do not meet our targets and keep on current trends, it could be a hit of 64%.” (2)

Western nations have not been exempt from costly extreme climate events. In 2022 drought and storms in Europe, floods in Australia and hurricane Ian in the USA caused in excess of $130 billion of damage (1). It should be noted that as western nations have more and higher quality infrastructure, the  cost of any physical damage is always going to be high, whilst at the same time more will be covered by insurance policies. 

What is particularly unjust, is that the climate change causing all these extreme weather events arises largely from the carbon emissions of the the highly industrialised countries, but inflicts most damage on the poorest least responsible countries. A report in the Guardian notes “The entire continent of Africa is responsible for less than 4% of historic global emissions, yet African people are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis”. (3) This injustice is compounded because these two groups of nations are not facing the climate crisis from a level playing field. “When Germany experienced terrible flooding in 2021, the government was able to instantly mobilise €30bn (£26bn) to pay to rebuild the towns and infrastructure that had been decimated by the flood. In contrast, Pakistan has had to rely on an UN emergency appeal that is only 34% funded. Mozambique was forced to take out an IMF loan to help pay for recovery following Cyclone Idai in 2019, pushing the country further into debt distress”. (3)

 Christian Aid’s Africa Advisor Joab Okanda, based in Kenya, explains: ‘The roads that we’re building from borrowed loans are being washed away and we have to repay these loans, our people are having to endure austerity measures because our government has to rebuild schools and roads, people are going to bed hungry.'(2)

For some years there has been a call for the establishment of a Loss and Damage fund to cover the costs being incurred by the most vulnerable nations. In November 2022  United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 made a breakthrough agreement to provide a  “loss and damage” fund for those  vulnerable countries hit hardest by climate disasters. Governments then agreed to establish a ‘transitional committee’ to make recommendations on how this new fund would operate and how it would be funded. Their recommendations will be brought to COP28 for approval. 

What is the likely size of this proposed Loss and Damage fund? 

Research carried out by Christian Aid (and used by the Government in their research briefing ‘Climate Change: “Loss and Damage” Fund’) estimates that “the UK should provide 3.5% of the total global effort in addition to reaching net zero domestically…Applying this percentage to the forecast loss and damages costs in 2030 equates to $10bn at the lower bound of $290bn or $20bn at the upper bound of $580bn ….’  (4) 

Of course what the total cost of damage is in 2030 will to some extent depend on how rapidly, how assiduously, all governments and companies, work towards rescuing their carbon emissions. The current IPCC target is that we should have at least halved our emissions by 2030. Hence the inclusion in Christian Aid’s  report that the UK also needs to achieve its net zero targets. 

What might the Loss and Damage fund pay for? 

Christian Aid suggests: the fund could provide money:

  • towards rebuilding homes flattened by floods or cyclones
  • to enable people to relocate when rising sea levels make it impossible to stay where they are
  • for people who can no longer farm (because the rains have stopped in consecutive years) to retrain and secure alternative livelihoods
  • to rebuild roads and bridges without having to take out expensive loans” (5)

The last point is a reminder that money that goes into the Loss and Damage fund should not be existing money that has simply been re-labelled. Vulnerable countries may well be receiving money from other funds/ loans/ financing deals with which to build new road, new roads, sea walls etc as part of enabling the development of such countries. Such development funds are not the same as loss and damage funds. The latter is very specifically there to fund rebuilding or retraining or relocating projects where infrastructure and resources have been damaged by extreme climate events. It also important that money paid out through the Loss and Damage fund, is paid in the form of a grant and not a loan. (If our home was flooded, we would not expect our insurers to loan us the cost of repairs!)

Christian Aid highlights another possible area of confusion, that of “the difference between loss and damage finance and international climate finance” 

“International climate finance (ICF) is intended to support countries to transition to low carbon economies and to adapt to climate impacts. It is often associated with the target to mobilise $100 billion a year for developing countries. Whereas the calls for loss and damage financing are related to the irreversible costs of climate impacts, beyond what can be adapted to”. (5)

How might the UK Government finance its contribution to the Loss and Damage fund?

It is unlikely that this will come from existing funds. The Government has already been criticised for failing to make $300m (£260m) of promised climate finance payments. The UK missed its September 2022 deadline to provide $288m to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and failed to fulfil a separate $20.6m pledge to the adaptation fund (6). Since then the government has drawn up plans to drop the UK’s flagship £11.6bn climate and nature funding pledge (7).

More realistically, the Government will need to find new sources of finance – ie through taxation. 

Christian Aid suggests three options.

  1. A national net wealth tax: a rate of 0.5% levied on wealth in excess of £1m could raise £15bn
  2. A  permanent tax on the profits of fossil fuel production could also raise £15bn
  3. A combination of an air passenger levy (eg a frequent flyer tax) and an expansion of the Emissions Trading Scheme levy and/or Financial Transactions tax or of the Energy Profits levy could likewise  raise £15bn.  (8)

All three options would place the burden on those who pollute, even option 1, for it is well documented that those who are wealthiest have the largest carbon footprints. (9) This approach is reflected in the theme of this year’s Loss and Damage Day, 23rd September, “Make Polluters Pay”.

1 (https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-12/counting-the-cost-2022.pdf

(1b) https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/climate-change/loss-and-damage-faqs

2 (https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/caid-loss-and-damage-briefing-september-2023.pdf)

3 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/08/rich-countries-climate-crisis-cop27-africa-loss-and-damage?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

4 https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-05/the-loss-and-damage-fund_may-2023.pdf

5 https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/climate-change/loss-and-damage-faqs

6 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/nov/01/uk-criticised-for-failing-to-pay-300m-in-promised-climate-funds-ahead-of-cop27?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

7 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/04/revealed-uk-plans-to-drop-flagship-climate-pledge-rishi-sunak?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

8 https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-05/the-loss-and-damage-fund_may-2023.pdf

9  for example re the UK see https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/01/polluting-elite-enormous-carbon-dioxide-emissions-gap-between-poorest-autonomy-study?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

For a reflection on last year’s lectionary readings that tie in with the theme of Loss and Damage see – https://greentau.org/2022/09/18/proper-20/

Counting on … day 384

20th November 2022

Small steps of change are happening. A Loss and Damage Fund has now been agreed in principle as COP27 came to an end. The details of who pays and who receives will be presented as a proposal at COP28. 

The following link gives a summary of what has and has not been achieved at this year’s COP.  Do give thanks for the small steps of progress. 

What was decided at Cop27 climate talks in Sharm el-Sheikh?

Counting on … day 383

19th November 2022

As COP27 negotiations continue, pray for a good outcome for the establishment of a Loss and Damage fund. Great steps have been made – it wasn’t even on the official agenda at the beginning of the COP and there does seem to be a strong desire to implement this scheme. Read more in the following article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/18/cop27-talks-continue-over-eu-climate-loss-and-damage-fund-proposal?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on …day 323

29th September 2022

In a follow up to Loss and Damage Action day last week, there is a petition you can sign asking your MP to sign an early day motion on this matter and urging positive action in the run up to COP27, which is now only 6 weeks away. 

https://act.globaljustice.org.uk/ask-your-mp-make-polluters-pay-climate-compensation?utm_medium=email&utm_source=mailchimp_2209MPA&utm_campaign=Climate_campaign&mc_cid=15b26f1d41&mc_eid=5834b7ce59#

 Counting on …day 321

27th September 2022

Whilst governments push (or not) for a Loss and Damage fund, we as individuals can help the more uk era leaders to adapt to climate change through our support of charities. Practical Action has been doing this in Zimbabwe. There an extended drought was this spring followed by torrential rains such that this year’s maize harvest is 45% smaller than last year’s. Practical Action has been promoting a small scale method of farming – ‘pfumyudza’ – that enables a family to grow enough maize for a year from a 16th of a hectare. One mother of three reports: “Before the training [in conservation agriculture], I could barely feed my family but now I am harvesting an average of three tonnes of maize on a smaller piece of land than I used to grow.” “From my first year of using Pfumvudza as a way of farming, and demonstrating it to others in the village, my crops never failed. The rainfall was erratic as usual but we got a good harvest.” (https://www.greenfriends.org.uk/pfumvudza-transforming-zimbabwe/

Counting on … day 316

22nd September 2022

Today the world marks Loss and Damage Day. The Guardian this week reported that the issue of how to help poor nations suffering from the most extreme impacts of climate breakdown – loss and Damage- is one of the most contentious problems in climate negotiations. The UN general assembly is being asked to set up a  “climate-related and justice-based” global tax, as a way of funding an insurance policy that would pay out to affected nations. You can support this objective by signing Christian Aid’s petition:  https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/loss-and-damage-petition

For more information on loss and damage see: https://greentau.org/2022/08/10/green-tau-issue-47/