Landlocked Developing Countries Urge International Community to Enhance Adaptation, Resilience, and Climate Preparedness

Strategic Insights -

The Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries recently held a round-table discussion on "Enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and addressing vulnerability to climate change and disasters in landlocked developing countries." Experts emphasized the need for a shift from a response-oriented approach to disaster-preparedness, highlighting the importance of integrating Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions into climate change adaptation. Opha Pauline Dube, Professor at the University of Botswana and Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, stressed the importance of taking into account the voices of local communities and building social safety nets. Dmitry Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, noted that the climate crisis often manifests itself through water shortage or abundance of water where it is not needed, and called for realistic strategies to share costs and benefits of climate action.

Key Takeaways:

  • The global community must shift from a response-oriented approach to disaster-preparedness and focus on climate-proofing infrastructure to prevent disasters.
  • Landlocked developing countries require enhanced and simplified access to climate finance to address the climate crisis.
  • The loss and damage fund must be operationalized to provide support to countries facing irreversible climate change impact.
  • Sustainable climate finance and true access to the loss and damage fund are crucial for landlocked developing countries to build resilience and adapt to climate change.
  • Private sector investment is essential for landlocked developing countries, and enabling policies and targeted incentives are necessary to unlock private capital.
  • Capacity-building must be addressed at the institutional and systemic levels of governments to ensure that capacity is anchored in institutions and processes.
  • Donor countries must ensure the participation of landlocked developing countries in the green and digital transformation and advocate for access to funds for the most vulnerable and fragile countries.
  • Climate adaptation must be integrated into national planning and funding mechanisms, and early warning systems should be supported to help countries identify weather and climate risks.
  • Gender-responsiveness is essential in climate adaptation, and efforts should be made to reduce existing inequalities and improve women's access to safety and services.

Statistics:

  • Over 60 per cent of the world's freshwater resources are shared by more than two countries.
  • 60 million people live in landlocked developing countries.
  • The climate crisis has resulted in a 1.6-degC increase in average temperature in some parts of Armenia.
  • Between 2013 and 2023, landlocked developing countries recorded a disaster mortality rate well above the global average.
  • Niger has significant reserves of critical minerals, and the country needs win-win cooperation to process these resources locally.

Sources:

  • "United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries" (no date)
  • Opha Pauline Dube, "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" (no date)
  • Dmitry Mariyasin, "United Nations Economic Commission for Europe" (no date)
  • "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" (no date)
  • "Green Climate Fund" (no date)