EU Commissioner identifies LoCAL as part of climate finance solution

Ministers from some of the world’s most climate vulnerable nations urged international institutions and donors to boost access to climate finance for adaptation to the impacts of climate change using the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL).

The facility is designed and managed by UN Capital Development Fund.

The Ministers joined the Commissioner for International Partnerships at the European Union, Jutta Urpilainen, yesterday, in identifying LoCAL as part of the climate finance ‘solution’ at a Ministerial Meeting of LoCAL member countries in Brussels, Belgium.

Many ministers warned that without increased resources their populations face a bleak future plagued by devastating droughts, unsupportable rising temperatures and the prospect of more conflict and insecurity.

The LoCAL Ministerial Meeting on the 12th May, attended by 16 ministers and 8 high-level country representatives, wrapped up a week of events for LoCAL member countries that offered practical solutions as well as policy and political commitments for increased action on adaptation.

“The LoCAL mechanism has brought an improvement in our country,” said H.E. Mr. Koné Modibo, Minister of Environment, Sanitation and Sustainable Development of Mali and a LoCAL Ministerial Ambassador who joined by video-link.

LoCAL is presently working with 34 countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Pacific and has cumulatively mobilised over US$ 150 M for more than 2,100 adaptation projects.

While much of these funds have been delivered in the last three years, support is not keeping up with country demand.

Nations vulnerable to the impacts of climate change but with limited resources to respond, are looking to urgently increase access to international climate finance that supports local level adaptation and resilience building, which they say is in short supply.

Ministers from countries implementing LoCAL and leaders from key partner the European Union, agreed that LoCAL is addressing this vital need.