Finance for nature-positive solutions, Indigenous communities, and women are central to the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion’s agenda.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (11 November 2024): As COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, kicked off today, Her Excellency Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28, called on delegates to prioritize nature in climate action.
According to Ms. Al Mubarak, who is also President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), nature-positive policies not only help mitigate the worst impacts of human-induced climate change, but are also essential in boosting resilience and adaptation.
“There is no Paris Agreement without nature. We must sharpen our focus on the indispensable role of nature in maintaining biodiversity, stabilizing our climate and propelling global resilience and economic stability. By uniting our efforts globally, we can fully leverage nature’s capacity to not only protect biodiversity but also bolster resilience, curb emissions, and foster socio-economic progress.”
The high-level event, which runs until 22 November, gathers representatives of 198 countries signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under the auspices of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29). Last year, when COP28 was held in the UAE, governments united around the UAE Consensus, agreeing, for the first time, to transition away from fossil fuels and focus on nature-positive solutions, including ending deforestation by 2030.
Ms. Al Mubarak was a key champion for nature during COP28. In Baku, she is calling for more funding for nature-based solutions, direct access to finance for Indigenous Peoples, and stronger global cooperation between the UNFCCC and the other two United Nations Rio conventions — on biological diversity and desertification.
As the UN High-Level Champion, Ms. Al Mubarak plays an important role in mobilizing much needed action by stakeholders such as local governments, cities, private companies, industry associations, the civic sector and academia.
On Monday, Ms. Al Mubarak told delegates at the opening ceremony of the Resilience Hub Pavillion that the need to build resilience as humanity faces the climate crisis “is no longer about distant goals or distant futures”.
“Our mission today is both clear and pressing: we must amplify and accelerate the work of those leading local climate adaptation efforts worldwide. Progress is underway, but it’s not enough. We need faster and broader access to resources, with a shared commitment from both private and public sectors to ensure that financial support reaches the heart of affected communities.”
On Tuesday, 12 November, Ms. Al Mubarak is moderating a high-level event of the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP), an intergovernmental initiative dedicated to reversing forest loss and land degradation by 2030. One discussion item will be the effort to build momentum on a new financial pledge, expected for COP30 in Belem, to support Indigenous communities.
“As much as one-third of the world’s remaining intact forest is located on Indigenous land,” said Ms. Al Mubarak, adding that studies have shown forests managed by Indigenous communities function as superior carbon sinks compared to forests outside Indigenous territories. Direct funding for Indigenous-lead conservation projects is a key tool in our efforts to reverse deforestation and biodiversity loss.”
Her Excellency will also co-host events dedicated to the Ocean Breakthroughs and the Mangrove Breakthroughs. Developed by the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action with the support of the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, the two initiatives unite public and private stakeholders around conservation and climate abatement targets.
“Governments are increasingly recognizing that the Ocean is part of the solution on climate,” said Ms. Al Mubarak, adding that, in response to the Global Stocktake, many countries have included ocean-based climate solutions in their Nationally Determined Contributions.
However, we need swift actions from non-state actors, too. The response to the Ocean Breakthroughs and the Mangrove Breakthroughs gives me hope that non-state actors, including important corporate players, are keen to be part of the solution.”
Ms. Al Mubarak will also co-host a discussion on gender-responsive climate finance.
“Climate finance seldom reaches women, especially women on the forefront of climate action. Strengthening gender-responsive climate finance is a key step to ensure a just, equitable and inclusive transition to a system that benefits communities, the climate and nature.”
