The United States has said its focusing on making Climate Change Conference (COP27) responsive to the priorities and needs of African continent, revealing that 17 of world’s 20 most climate-vulnerable countries are in Africa.
Secretary of State, Antony Blinken stated this at the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt on Thursday, he said Climate Change already threatening lives and livelihoods as families and communities are being displaced by natural disasters and water scarcity.
The Secretary of State who said he joined President Joe Biden to Egypt to announce further US climate adaptation investments on African continent, which include doubling US multi-year commitment to the Adaptation Fund.
“Increased investments in early-warning systems, improved access to disaster risk insurance for countries and farmers, and support for African-led capacity development programs to manage climate risks”, Blinken added.
He noted that US actions demonstrate its commitment to proactive solutions, emphasized that the climate crisis cannot be resolved by efforts of the United States alone.
While calling every nation to implement its current climate commitments and enhance those commitments that are insufficient to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. “We cannot fail in this task. Our children and grandchildren are depending on us”.
Recognizing the urgency of addressing the climate crisis, Blinken said the United States have engaged in a whole-of-government effort to mitigate the output of dangerous greenhouse gases, to increase other nations’ climate ambitions, and to strengthen the United States’ and the world’s capacity to adapt to the planet’s changing environment.
The Secretary of State stated further that at this year’s COP, the United States is working with the host, Egypt, and countries around the world to advance climate ambition.
“We left Glasgow last year having kept alive the goal of limiting the earth temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and we secured significant commitments to reduce emissions and enhance resilience, including substantial new efforts to mobilize climate finance.
“At home, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act—the single most consequential piece of climate legislation in U.S. history.
“The IRA puts the United States on track to achieve President Biden’s ambitious target to cut US emissions by 50-52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030 and demonstrates that we will deliver on our climate commitments for years to come”.
Blinken stated further that United States has ratified Kigali Amendment to Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, joining 139 other nations committed to reducing consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons.
“Global implementation of this amendment could avoid as much as half a degree Celsius of warming by the end of the century.
“We also have made massive commitments to helping the world adapt to climate change through the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE), which will help more than half a billion people in developing countries adapt to and manage a changing climate this decade.
“We are working with partners to get early warning, climate information into people’s hands so that they can become more resilient. We’re helping countries and communities “climate proof” their infrastructure and their water, health, and food systems. And we are helping people access public and private finance to support these efforts”, he said.