COP30 Bulletin: Call for two-year adaptation indicator delay – Climate Home News

Report on Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and Sustainable Development Goals

Proposed Postponement and Alignment with SDG 13

A coalition of African and Arab nations has formally requested a two-year delay in the finalization of indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). This framework is critical for tracking progress on SDG 13 (Climate Action). The nations contend that the proposed metrics require further negotiation to ensure they are fair, realistic, and reflective of national capacities, thereby supporting a more effective implementation of global climate adaptation strategies.

Financial Sovereignty and Challenges to SDG 10 and SDG 17

Significant concerns have been raised regarding the draft indicators, which are perceived as misaligned with the principles of the Paris Agreement and detrimental to achieving SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The primary objections include:

1. Inclusion of Domestic Budgets: The proposal to count domestic budgets and national spending as part of adaptation finance is viewed as inconsistent with the Paris Agreement’s distinction between domestic efforts and international support.
2. Blurring of Financial Responsibility: This approach risks obscuring the financial obligations of developed nations to support developing countries, a cornerstone of international climate agreements and a key component of SDG 17.
3. Increased Burden on Developing Nations: Requiring developing countries to report their own spending as part of global adaptation finance could strain already limited fiscal resources, hindering progress on SDG 1 (No Poverty) and other development priorities.
4. Undermining National Sovereignty: The indicators related to expenditure tracking are seen as potentially infringing on the sovereign right of nations to determine their own fiscal policies and budget allocations.

Implications for Climate Finance and Partnership Goals

The debate underscores the critical need for accessible and equitable climate finance to achieve adaptation goals. Key financial considerations related to SDG 13 and SDG 17 include:

• Magnitude of Need: The African continent alone requires over $50 billion annually for climate adaptation. Current domestic spending, which can reach up to 4% of GDP in some nations, is insufficient to meet the escalating challenges.
• Quality of Finance: The proposed indicators fail to measure the quality and accessibility of climate finance. Stakeholders emphasize that funding mechanisms must not lock developing nations into high-interest loans or impose unrealistic access criteria.
• Call for International Support: The African Group of Negotiators (AGN) insists that adaptation indicators must be explicitly linked to financial support from the international community, ensuring that developing countries are adequately supported in their efforts to build resilience.

Fossil Fuel Transition Roadmap and Progress on SDG 7 and SDG 13

International Call for a Just Transition

Momentum is building for the establishment of a formal roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels, a critical step for achieving SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and the mitigation targets of SDG 13. Brazil, supported by nations including the UK, Germany, Denmark, Kenya, and Colombia, has initiated a high-level dialogue to create a planned and equitable move away from fossil fuel dependency. This initiative aims to create a clear pathway that guides global efforts towards sustainable energy systems.

Geopolitical Obstacles to Clean Energy Transition

Despite growing support, the proposal for a fossil fuel transition roadmap faces significant opposition, highlighting challenges to global cooperation under SDG 17.

• Opposition from Producer Nations: Oil-producing countries within the Arab group and major coal producers such as China and India have expressed opposition to formal negotiations on a fossil fuel roadmap.
• Alternative Approaches: Some nations, like Colombia, are pursuing parallel political declarations outside the formal negotiation process to build consensus among a coalition of willing states.

Analysis of Climate Pledges and Trajectory for SDG 13 Targets

Assessment of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Recent analysis indicates that current global climate commitments are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target, a central objective of SDG 13. A Climate Action Tracker (CAT) report found that despite updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from over 100 countries, the world remains on a trajectory for 2.6°C of warming. While this marks an improvement from the 3.6°C projection in 2015, it demonstrates that the pace of climate action is not yet adequate.

Global Carbon Budget and Link to SDG 15

The 2025 Global Carbon Budget report projects a marginal decrease in total carbon dioxide emissions. This is attributed not to a reduction in fossil fuel use but to a decline in land-use emissions, directly linking to the targets of SDG 15 (Life on Land). The success of Brazil in reducing deforestation in the Amazon demonstrates the positive impact of targeted environmental policies on global emissions and the preservation of vital carbon sinks.

Impact of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure on Human Rights and Health-Related SDGs

Proximity Risks and Threats to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

A report by Amnesty International has mapped the extensive threat that fossil fuel infrastructure poses to human health and rights, undermining progress on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). The findings reveal a direct correlation between proximity to fossil fuel operations and adverse health outcomes.

1. Widespread Exposure: At least 2 billion people, including a quarter of a billion children, live within 5km of over 18,000 fossil fuel sites globally.
2. High-Risk Zones: Over 463 million people reside within 1km of these sites, exposing them to heightened risks of severe health impacts, including cancer, heart disease, and birth defects.
3. Creation of “Sacrifice Zones”: The pollution and environmental degradation from these operations transform entire communities and ecosystems into areas where human health and environmental integrity are compromised.

Disproportionate Impacts on Vulnerable Populations and Ecosystems

The burden of fossil fuel infrastructure is not evenly distributed, exacerbating existing inequalities and threatening biodiversity, which conflicts with the principles of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

• Impact on Indigenous Peoples: Sixteen percent of global fossil fuel infrastructure is located on Indigenous territories, infringing on land rights and threatening cultural heritage.
• Threat to Critical Ecosystems: Approximately one-third of all fossil fuel infrastructure overlaps with critical ecosystems that are vital for biodiversity and carbon storage.

Obstacles to Justice and Sustainable Development

The continued expansion of fossil fuel projects represents a significant barrier to achieving a just and sustainable future, as envisioned by SDG 16.

• Planned Expansion: Despite global pledges, over 3,500 new fossil fuel infrastructure sites are proposed or under construction, potentially placing an additional 135 million people at risk.
• Lack of Consultation and Remedy: Affected communities frequently report a lack of meaningful consultation and a significant power imbalance with corporate operators, leaving them without effective remedy for the harms they endure. This systemic issue highlights a failure to uphold principles of justice and institutional accountability.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article discusses the health risks faced by communities living near fossil fuel infrastructure.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The article highlights the global debate and initiatives aimed at transitioning away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy sources.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article addresses the concerns of developing nations, particularly African and Arab countries, regarding the unfair financial burden of climate adaptation, which exacerbates existing inequalities.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: This is the central theme of the article, which covers climate adaptation, mitigation efforts, international climate negotiations (COP30), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the impacts of global warming.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The article touches upon the impact of fossil fuel infrastructure on ecosystems and Indigenous territories, as well as progress in reducing deforestation.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article points to a lack of inclusive decision-making, as affected communities are often not consulted about fossil fuel projects.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article revolves around international cooperation, financial commitments from developed to developing countries, and global partnerships to address climate change.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The Amnesty International report directly links fossil fuel operations to severe pollution and negative health impacts like “cancer, heart disease and birth problems.”

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  • Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology. The discussion around creating a “roadmap to manage the transition away from fossil fuels” at COP30 reflects efforts towards this target.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality. The concern raised by African and Arab nations that proposed adaptation indicators “could unfairly shift financial responsibility… onto developing countries” and “undermine countries’ sovereignty on how they spend their fiscal resources” directly relates to this target.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The entire discussion on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and the need for over “$50 billion a year” for Africa to adapt to climate change is central to this target.
  • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article mentions that over 100 countries have updated their “NDC climate targets” and discusses how countries track adaptation spending through “domestic budgets and national spending.”
  • Target 13.a: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the UNFCCC to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually… to address the needs of developing countries. The debate over adaptation finance, where developing nations argue that funding must come from the “international community” rather than their own budgets, is a core element of this target.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  • Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally. The article explicitly notes success in this area, stating that “deforestation rates in the Amazon have declined and are at their lowest level this season since 2014.”
  • Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts. The finding that “around a third of the total [fossil fuel infrastructure] overlaps with one or more ‘critical ecosystems’” highlights the challenge of meeting this target.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The Amnesty International report finds that “Local people are often not consulted by authorities and companies managing the projects,” which is a direct failure to meet this target.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  • Target 17.3: Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources. The article’s focus on the need for international support for climate adaptation in developing countries and the debate over the source of these funds is directly related to this target.
  • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships. The entire context of the COP30 negotiations, involving various country groups (AGN, Arab group, LMDCs) and international organizations, exemplifies this target in action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Number of people exposed to pollution from fossil fuel operations: The article states that “at least 2 billion people – a quarter of them children – live within 5km of more than 18,000 fossil fuel operations.” This serves as a direct indicator of population exposure to health risks.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  • Number of new fossil fuel projects: The report warns that “more than 3,500 fossil fuel infrastructure sites are either proposed, in development, or under construction globally,” which is an indicator of continued reliance on fossil fuels rather than a transition to clean energy.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Projected global temperature increase: The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) analysis is cited, stating “the world is on course for… 2.6C of global warming,” which is a key indicator for measuring the success of climate action.
  • National government spending on adaptation as a percentage of budget/GDP: The article provides specific figures: “In 2019 alone, countries spent 0.95% of their governments’ budgets on adaptation – and in some countries like Botswana and Seychelles, it gobbled up 4% of their GDP.”
  • Total carbon dioxide emissions: The global carbon budget report projects that “total carbon dioxide emissions in 2025 will be very slightly lower than last year,” serving as a direct measure of mitigation progress.
  • Deforestation rates: The article mentions that “deforestation rates in the Amazon have declined,” which is a specific indicator for emissions from land use change.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  • Percentage of fossil fuel infrastructure on Indigenous lands: The article provides a clear metric: “16% of global fossil fuel infrastructure is sited on Indigenous territories.”
  • Percentage of fossil fuel infrastructure in critical ecosystems: The article states that “around a third of the total overlaps with one or more ‘critical ecosystems’ that are rich in biodiversity or important carbon sinks.”

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: climatechangenews.com