Humanitarian disasters will be fueled by climate change in 2023

• The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased dramatically.
• Over the past ten years, surpassing 339.2 million as opposed to 81 million recorded in 2014.
• The 20 nations on the International Rescue Committee’s emergency watchlist only account for 2% of global CO2 emissions.

MEXICO CITY: According to a study by the NGO International Rescue Committee, in 2023, humanitarian crises would spread more quickly throughout the world due to climate change, compounding the problems brought on by armed conflict and economic downturns (IRC).

The New York-based organisation, which is run by former UK politician David Miliband, noted that the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased dramatically over the past ten years, surpassing 339.2 million as opposed to the 81 million recorded in 2014.

Despite the fact that the 20 nations on its emergency watchlist, including Haiti and Afghanistan, only account for 2% of global CO2 emissions, the IRC highlighted that climate change is one of the major reasons speeding humanitarian calamities.

The research claimed that the year 2022 “has demonstrated that the significance of climate change in exacerbating the global humanitarian disaster is evident.”

Numerous deaths were reported in Pakistan due to record-long rainy spells that “caused catastrophic food crisis to Somalia and Ethiopia” and “brought thousands of deaths.”

Investing more “proactively in climate change prevention and mitigation” was another recommendation made by the IRC.

According to the report, food insecurity is already widespread as a result of the escalating conflict, the economic crisis brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition, as of November 2022, there was a $27 billion global disparity between the financing of humanitarian needs and those that could meet them.

According to the research, “donors are failing to respond proportionately.” Communities impacted by the disaster are unable to obtain the resources they require in order to live, recover, and rebuild as a result.

The report, “Emergency Watchlist 2023,” also noted that Venezuela has been one of the main causes of the increase in the number of people forced to leave their homes, from 60 million in 2014 to more than 100 million now.

$15.5 billion climate agreement

According to two Western sources cited by Reuters on Wednesday, the Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations and Vietnam have agreed to contribute $15.5 billion to the Southeast Asian nation’s move away from coal.

On the eve of a summit of EU and Southeast Asian leaders taking place in Brussels later on Wednesday, the agreement is anticipated to be announced.

At the COP27 climate summit in November, Vietnam, one of the top 20 coal-consuming countries in the world, was initially expected to join the so-called “Just Energy Transition Partnership” with G7 countries. However, high-level negotiations broke down before to the event.

The amount of financing provided to Hanoi by Western negotiators, led by the European Union and Britain, has been increased numerous times in an effort to convince Vietnam to accept the proposal.

According to individuals who declined to be named because they were not authorised to speak to the media, the public sector would provide half of the cash for the final agreement, and private investors will provide the other half.

According to one of the sources, just a small portion of the cash will be given in the form of grants, with the majority of the public investment coming through loans.

Western nations have pressed for investment to go into initiatives like upgrades to the national power grid and offshore wind turbines.

An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by the Vietnam Environment Ministry.

As pressure builds on wealthy nations to assist poorer countries in coping with climate change and making the transition to sustainable energy, the deal is the third of its kind to be achieved by the G7. Similar agreements were made by the group with South Africa last year and Indonesia last month.

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