COP27: What we have been doing

A week into COP27, Islamic Relief’s Senior Advisor on Poverty Reduction, Jamie Williams, stresses the need for an international agreement reflecting the importance of locally led adaptation.

Deep into negotiations at COP27 it is difficult to connect such international platforms with what is happening in our communities and the environments we live in. So, the chance to read The Land is Aching – Islamic Relief’s new report on the devastating floods in Pakistan, really brings it home.

This ongoing climate-induced disaster has left millions of people facing drastically increased poverty, loss of livelihoods, ruined infrastructure – homes, schools and hospitals – and outbreaks of disease. As the loss and damage piles up, we need to think how best people can prepare for the next disaster and adapt to climate breakdown.

With its partners at the COP27, Islamic Relief has been working to convince decision-makers that ‘local’ must be central to the United Nations’ ‘Global’ Goal on Adaptation. Most adaptation means people coping with the consequences of climate breakdown on their own, with families and neighbours. But the evidence is that the most effective adaptation efforts are community based, carried out by a few thousand people, dealing collectively with their unique circumstances, vulnerabilities and capacities.

International agreement needed

Islamic Relief has written 3 articles about locally led adaptation for the influential ECO newsletter published daily at COP. It is great that reports of the official workshops on the global goal shows that this is now being considered seriously by countries. But this is just the start.

What is needed now is international agreement – a decision of the COP – saying that countries will abide by the principles for locally led adaptation and put resources where they are most needed.

This way we can begin to create the proper balance and bring justice so that people everywhere, like those suffering in Pakistan and from the terrible drought in East Africa, can look forward to assistance for lessening their vulnerability and increasing their resilience in this climate crisis.

Read Islamic Relief’s new Climate Policy here. Islamic Relief is committed to helping communities adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. Please help us continue this increasingly vital work. Donate now.