London, January 25 (PTI): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new international coalition to tackle the impacts of climate change on Monday.
Johnson officially launched the Adaptation Action Coalition in a virtual address to the Netherlands-hosted Climate Adaptation Summit, the first-ever global summit focused solely on adaptation and resilience.
Developed by the UK in partnership with Egypt, Bangladesh, Malawi, the Netherlands, Saint Lucia and the United Nations, the new coalition is aimed at working to turn international political commitments made through the United Nations Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience into on-the-ground support for vulnerable communities.
It is undeniable that climate change is already upon us and is already devastating lives and economies. We must adapt to our changing climate, and we must do so now, said Johnson.
I'll be making the need for a resilient recovery a priority of the UK's G7 presidency this year. To make sure we get not just warm words but real change, I am today launching an all-new Adaptation Action Coalition to set the agenda ahead of COP26. Let's work together to adapt, to become more resilient, and to save lives and livelihoods all around the world, he said.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) highlighted that many countries across the world are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, from forest fires in Australia to the recent cyclones in Mozambique. Without action, many more will experience significant disruption and extreme weather, devastating communities and livelihoods.
We know that the most vulnerable are at the greatest risk from climate change, and that they have done the least to cause it. Action to address this and build resilience is needed now, before more people lose lives or livelihoods, said Alok Sharma, President-Designate of the United Nations' COP26 summit scheduled for Glasgow in November.
I am calling on all countries to come forward with ambitious adaptation plans. This important new coalition will crucially focus minds around the world to accelerate adaptation delivery in the areas most in need, he said.
As an example in the UK, which is experiencing more high rainfall events as a result of climate change, the government says it has committed an additional 5.2 billion pounds to new flood and coastal defence schemes.
UK Commissioner to the Global Commission on Adaptation Emma Howard Boyd said: Last week, flood defences protected tens of thousands of people in England from record river levels during Storm Christoph. Investments in flood protections help economic development and also improve health and wellbeing by enhancing green and blue spaces.
The Environment Agency, government and local partners have a lot of expertise to share with the world, and we also have a lot to learn. International collaboration, as championed by this coalition, is vital.
The new coalition will draw on the expertise of scientists, businesses, civil society and more, and will act as a forum for developed and developing countries to share knowledge and best practice on local, regional and global solutions to deal with climate change.
The FCDO said the Adaptation Action Coalition takes forward the 2019 Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience from the United Nations Climate Action Summit, committing countries to act now on adaptation, integrate climate risk into all decision making, and increase the availability of adaptation financing.
