LDCs need enforced coordination

On Monday, Chakwera, the chair of the LDC, addressed delegates at the high-level world leaders' summit on "advancing adaptation in the LDCs."

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt: Malawi's President, Dr Lazarous Chakwera, has urged Least Developed Countries (LDCs) around the world to promote their agenda in addressing climate change under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

On Monday, Chakwera, the chair of the LDC, addressed delegates at the high-level world leaders' summit on "advancing adaptation in the LDCs."

He stated that the flow of climate change finance from the countries most responsible for it is too slow and insufficient to keep pace with the worsening climate change impacts and that the proportion allocated to adaptation is insufficient.

 Chakwera said: “It is an indisputable fact that LDCs’ contribution to global warming is marginal at best, and yet we bear the brunt of worsening climate change impacts, with 10% of our economic losses being occasioned by disasters.

“We need to pull in the same direction if we are all going to reach the same shore. Success is a product of our collective efforts, and we can’t afford to have any nation working alone or in isolation.”

He stated that the failure of developing countries to match their support for the damage caused by climate change is yet another reason why it is critical for LDCs all over the world to work together to promote the LDC agenda.

“So I urge you all to put the formal negotiations and side events here at COP27 to lobby for all of us – especially on loss and damage, adaptation and climate change finance,” Chakwera said.

While the world is struggling economically, Chakwera believes it is appropriate to commemorate the Least Developed Countries Expert Group's 20th anniversary, as well as the adoption of the Doha Programme of Action for the LDCs to achieve economic freedom, which includes climate change adaptation and resilience.

 “These are monumental achievements, and they would not have happened without either the support of the LDCs on National Adaptation Programmes of Action and National Adaptation Plans or the leadership and drive of the current and previous Chairs of the LDC Group under UNFCCC,” he said.

Chizuru Aoki, Lead Environmental Specialist and Fund Advisor for LCD in the United Nations announced in her address that US$20 million has been set aside through this fund to support the scaling up of climate adaptation in the LCDs over the next three years through aquaculture and that Malawi is one of the beneficiaries through the Lake Chirwa and Lake Malawi aquaculture climate adaptation project.

The aquaculture project teaches communities around the lakes how to care for the fish.