Author name: ICCB

In June 2023, ICCB was one of the stakeholders present in the global climate negotiations that happened in German in the city of Bonn. ICCB was represented by our executive director Ms. Sharon Gakii, who also doubled as the Food at COP28 delegate during the negotiations. At Bonn climate finance became the subject of concern, bringing the negotiations almost to a stand still. Tensions were evident yet the possibility of failing to discuss the agenda of the negotiations was looming daily even as the conference approached the end to the talk sessions. However, in the second last day to the closure of the talk sessions, diplomat Nabeel Munir was able to break the ice, making the session get a breakthrough to discuss climate finance as part of the main agenda of the discussion. It is indispensable that climate finance is a very key agenda in the climate change negotiations. Developing countries need climate finance to be able to contribute effectively in climate mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage. It is important for us to understand the aspect of give and take, how do we give out these finances as well as how do we take up these finances.

Climate justice and social justice are two sides of the same coin. Addressing both is vital to creating a more equitable and sustainable future for all. Climate justice is rooted in recognizing that climate change is causing a multitude of detrimental social, economic, health, and other impacts on vulnerable communities that have contributed the least to the climate crisis. In short, the climate crisis is making existing inequalities and injustices a whole lot worse.  Low-income countries, people of colour, Indigenous People, women, and people with disabilities are more exposed to the devastating impacts of climate disasters such as floods, wildfires, severe drought and soaring temperatures, as well as rising sea levels and limited access to food and water. This global majority – marginalised and made more vulnerable by powerful systems of oppression – don’t have access to the financial resources and institutional capacity to adapt to climate change nor to recover from the losses and damage that it causes.