ICRC Head in Egypt to Jusoor Post: Finance for adaptation needed in countries vulnerable to climate change, armed conflicts

Among several calls and initiatives issued at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh for just finance and providing adaptation programs for the most vulnerable countries was another urgent call by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to prioritize money for countries that have been impacted by both climate change and armed conflicts. 

More than 50 percent of countries suffering from climate change impacts are also affected by armed conflicts, like Somalia and Sahel countries, said the head of the ICRC delegation in Egypt, Jerome Fontana, in an interview with Jusoor Post on the sidelines of the COP27 meetings in Sharm El-Sheikh, calling for comprehensively addressing the accumulation of issues of climate change and armed conflicts. 

Somalia has been affected by both armed conflicts and climate change for many years, but in last few years, the severe drought has affected every signal family, Fontana said, adding, “It is very difficult for people to survive in such a complicated environment. It is not even regarding access to water, but also access to medical care because of […] this nexus: the armed conflict and climate change. It is destructing the life of everyone.”

The Sahel region (Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso) is also “highly affected” by both climate change and armed conflict, as 4.5 million people were displaced over the last two years struggling to cope with the situation, he added.

“So, what I want to say is that it has some additional effect. It is not only climate change that will create some food scarcity, and it does, but that creates in addition to that an accumulation of other issues that need to be addressed comprehensively for humanity,” he continued, saying that there still remains a lack of awareness that more than half, or 60, of the countries that are vulnerable to climate change are affected by armed conflicts. 

Consequently, the ICRC called for more climate funding from international financial institutions, issuing a three-call paper to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the participating parties of COP27 not to leave those who suffer from these complicated issues behind.

The calls include “acknowledging the high vulnerability to climate risks” of these countries, strengthening climate action in them, and accessibility to climate finance.

The head of the ICRC showed that these recommendations are quite easy and very simple, noting that there will not be a credible climate action response without targeting countries affected by armed conflicts and climate change. 

“They have to be integrated and they have to be part of the response. We need to involve the local communities, because most of time we are trying to negotiate with the politicians, because political structures are very fragile,” he added.

‘Mitigation is not a solution’

In response to a question about role of international humanitarian aid agencies in reaching countries suffering from both climate change and armed conflict, Fontana said that the humanitarian assistance mitigates the suffering but is not a solution.

“Responding to the problem is not a solution; it is mitigating the suffering of the people but doesn’t solve the root causes,” he said, noting that tackling these root issues would take more time. However, humanitarian assistance is quite important in terms of mitigating the suffering and preventing the worst consequences of climate change and armed conflicts.

It has been estimated that 100 million people around the globe are living in areas where the states cannot reach them. However, international humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross can access everyone, because it is not included in politics, he said. 

“We can reach areas that cannot be controlled by the state. So, that is a very important effort to be able to reach everyone who needs some support. The big challenge is the security, because the security of the places is very fragile,” he said.

In spite of this, Fontana provided some examples showing that exerting small efforts can contribute to solving the problem. After small-scale female farmers in Mali were given money to open bank accounts, they managed to secure their own income through food production, which has increased by 30 percent, he said, adding, “Sometimes, small farmer women take some simple steps to make a major difference.”

Another example was in Cameroon, where shepherds were given vaccinations for their cattle and in just a few years the number of livestock has increased, and “for them it is like a bank account,” he added.

Although such mitigation programs are a good step in alleviating people’s suffering, they are not enough, he said, adding, “We need a shift from mitigation programs to adaptation ones.”

Role of financing bodies vital

According to Fontana, the big international financial organizations like the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, etc. need to mitigate the risks to be sure that their money will be well invested.

“We are working with many of these banks to find some common grounds about the risk assessment, because assessing financial projects in countries with conflict is much more difficult [compared] to financing projects in countries of peace,” he added.

Fontana noted that it is important that world leaders ramp up financing for climate-affected areas, because the climate finance doesn’t reach the most vulnerable countries that are being affected by armed conflicts, calling for a change in mindset to channel these funds.

A joint global effort by the international actors is a must, as more awareness of how to contribute to this topic and put it forth for discussion is something very important, he said, adding, “Right now, we are not part of the discussion and negotiation, but it could become part of the COP negotiations. So, it is a long process.”

“We are trying to raise the issue [… however] it is a long-term effort that we make to be able to influence in the negotiations,” he continued.

Fontana praised the Climate Response for Sustaining Peace (CRSP) initiative announced and adopted by the COP27 presidency in cooperation with the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA). He said that the initiative is needed to see how the climate response can reduce the risks of conflicts and promote peace, especially in Africa.

“So, that is an important initiative, and I hope to continue supporting it until the next COP in the UAE in order to see this hot topic in the coming COP,” he said.