Learning to Adapt

Reason for Hope

At a recent Amazon Summit, a group of countries formed a pact to push for forest conservation resources.

There are over a dozen nations in the pact including Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia

The nations called upon wealthy countries to do their part in preserving rainforests.

In addition, the nations are trying to get wealthy countries to deliver on their existing commitments including providing

• $100 billion/year in climate finance and
• $200 billion/year for biodiversity preservation

Sources

Rainforest countries form pact to demand conservation cash from rich nations | Reuters

Main Topic

The failure of mismanaged adaptation projects

• Many development companies disregard local context and end up generalizing adaptation projects in diverse ecosystems (with different needs)
• Dr. Schipper calls this "maladaptation"— when a project fails and has unexpected consequences

Maladaptation: When Adaptation to Climate Change goes very Wrong | Researchgate

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The need for better controls on climate investments

While many climate investments go to valid causes, there aren't regulations around what qualifies

Reuters investigation revealed several countries making climate investments that actually make things worse

Japan loaned Bangladesh 2.4 billion to build a new coal-fired power plant and helped Egypt finance a $167 million airport expansion

‍A pledge to fight climate change is sending money to strange places (reuters.com)

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Examples of effective adaption projects

• Indigenous groups in Latin America can receive funding through the Pawanka Fund. In one project, Mayan communities used Inga tree alley cropping to enrich nutrients and prevent unnecessary land clearing.

• Bangladesh's Climate Bridge Fund supports projects that benefit people displaced by climate change.

Getting Locally Led Adaptation Right: Examples from Around the World | World Resources Institute  

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‍Responsibility for emissions

U.S., EU and China together are accountable for 60% of all historical emissions.

In Africa, the 11 nations least responsible for emissions, face adaptation costs in excess of their health care spending

Sources

CO2 emissions - Our World in Data

Climate adaptation bill for African countries to dwarf health spending | Climate crisis | The Guardian