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Tuberculosis resurges as top infectious disease killer – WHO

Michael Simire
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Tuberculosis resurges as top infectious disease killer – WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, published a new report on tuberculosis revealing that approximately 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with TB in 2023 – the highest number recorded since WHO began global TB monitoring in 1995. This represents a notable increase from 7.5 million reported in 2022, placing TB again as the leading infectious disease killer in 2023, surpassing COVID-19.

Tedros Ghebreyesus
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO)

WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 highlights mixed progress in the global fight against TB, with persistent challenges such as significant underfunding. While the number of TB-related deaths decreased from 1.32 million in 2022 to 1.25 million in 2023, the total number of people falling ill with TB rose slightly to an estimated 10.8 million in 2023.

With the disease disproportionately affecting people in 30 high-burden countries, India (26%), Indonesia (10%), China (6.8%), the Philippines (6.8%) and Pakistan (6.3%) together accounted for 56% of the global TB burden. According to the report, 55% of people who developed TB were men, 33% were women and 12% were children and young adolescents.

“The fact that TB still kills and sickens so many people is an outrage, when we have the tools to prevent it, detect it and treat it,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO urges all countries to make good on the concrete commitments they have made to expand the use of those tools, and to end TB.”

In 2023, the gap between the estimated number of new TB cases and those reported narrowed to about 2.7 million, down from COVID-19 pandemic levels of around 4 million in 2020 and 2021. This follows substantial national and global efforts to recover from COVID-related disruptions to TB services. The coverage of TB preventive treatment has been sustained for people living with HIV and continues to improve for household contacts of people diagnosed with TB.

However, multidrug-resistant TB remains a public health crisis. Treatment success rates for multidrug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant TB (MDR/RR-TB) have now reached 68%. But, of the 400,000 people estimated to have developed MDR/RR-TB, only 44% were diagnosed and treated in 2023.

Funding gaps and challenges

Global funding for TB prevention and care decreased further in 2023 and remains far below target. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which bear 98% of the TB burden, faced significant funding shortages. Only $5.7 billion of the $22 billion annual funding target was available in 2023, equivalent to only 26% of the global target.

The total amount of international donor funding in LMICs has remained at around $1.1–1.2 billion per year for several years. The United States government remains the largest bilateral donor for TB. While the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) contribution to international funding of the TB response, especially in LMICs, is important, it remains insufficient to cover essential TB service needs. The report emphasizes that sustained financial investment is crucial for the success of TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment efforts.

Globally, TB research remains severely underfunded with only one-fifth of the $5 billion annual target reached in 2022. This impedes the development of new TB diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines. WHO continues leading efforts to advance the TB vaccine agenda, including with the support of the TB Vaccine Accelerator Council launched by the WHO Director-General.

Complex drivers of the epidemic

For the first time, the report provides estimates on the percentage of TB-affected households that face catastrophic costs (exceeding 20% of annual household income) to access TB diagnosis and treatment in all LMICs. These indicate that half of TB-affected households face such catastrophic costs.

A significant number of new TB cases are driven by five major risk factors: undernutrition, HIV infection, alcohol use disorders, smoking (especially among men), and diabetes. Tackling these issues, along with critical determinants like poverty and GDP per capita, requires coordinated multisectoral action.

“We are confronted with a multitude of formidable challenges: funding shortfalls and catastrophic financial burden on those affected, climate change, conflict, migration and displacement, pandemics, and drug-resistant tuberculosis, a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme. “It is imperative that we unite across all sectors and stakeholders, to confront these pressing issues and ramp up our efforts.”

Global milestones and targets for reducing the TB disease burden are said to be off-track, and considerable progress is needed to reach other targets set for 2027 ahead of the second UN High-Level Meeting. WHO calls on governments, global partners, and donors to urgently translate the commitments made during the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB into tangible actions.

“Increased funding for research, particularly for new TB vaccines, is essential to accelerate progress and achieve the global targets set for 2027,” said the WHO.

Gas flaring: Gov Diri laments as Bayelsa Oil Commission submits report

Michael Simire
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Gas flaring: Gov Diri laments as Bayelsa Oil Commission submits report

Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa State on Monday, October 28, 2024, bemoaned the management of revenues from gas flare fines and royalties paid by oil firms.

Gas flaring
Gas flaring

Diri said the oil producing states and indeed the communities in the region that bear the brunt of gas flaring have been deprived of the revenue accruing to the Federal Government over the years.

He also lamented the situation where oil companies situate their administrative offices far from their operational bases and shortchanging states like Bayelsa of personal income and other taxes.

Diri stated these during an expanded state executive council meeting during which the final report of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission (BSOEC) was presented in Government House, Yenagoa, the state capital.

Commenting on the report titled “An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Human and Environmental Cost of Oil in Bayelsa, Nigeria,” he said the impact of oil pollution to both humans and the environment were alarming.

While formally dissolving the commission with effect from October 31, 2024, Diri said it was saddening to read that “Bayelsa is estimated to have suffered over a quarter of total recorded instances of oil pollution in Nigeria.

“The staggering disparity underscores the inequitable distribution of environmental burdens. Bayelsa State bears 25% of Nigeria’s oil pollution. The sheer scale of devastation paints a dire picture, disconcertingly reminiscent of an environmental Armageddon,” the governor said.

Diri also stated that, according to the report, “between 1970 and 2014, Nigeria earned an estimated trillion dollars in oil revenue, and since 2006, oil produced in Bayelsa generated over $150 billion for the Federal Government and billions for the international oil companies that operate its wells. On average, oil produced in Bayelsa is responsible for approximately $10 billion in government revenues per year.”

He noted that the state was encouraged by the revelation in the report that “in most advanced industrialised countries, two basic principles – ‘polluter pays’ and ‘no fault liability’ – form the cornerstone of the legal regime for regulating extractive industries. Taken together, they mean that those that own and operate facilities are responsible for the damage caused by their pollution even if they are not at fault.”

Describing the report as heartbreaking, he lamented that the magnitude of devastation across communities paints a grim picture of their survival.

Diri assured that a committee would be set up to look into the commission’s recommendations with a view to ensuring its implementation.

He re-echoed the commission’s recommendation of “concerted international action to generate and invest at least $12 billion over the course of 12 years to repair, remediate and restore the environmental and public health damage caused by oil and gas and to lay the foundations for Bayelsa’s just transition towards renewable energy and opportunities for alternative livelihoods” justifies our persistent claim for reparation.”

Diri commended his predecessor, Sen. Seriake Dickson, for his vision in establishing the commission in March 2018 as well as its chairman, Lord John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu and his team for the exceptional work.

In his remarks, Dr John Sentamu, who is the former Archbishop of York, said the oil companies were negligent in their operations and called for the creation of an estimated $12 billion fund to support remediation efforts.

Also speaking, chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council and Ibenanowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, King Bubaraye Dakolo, who described the event as one of the greatest achievements in governance, said there was finally evidence to prove the devastation to both human and environmental health caused by oil and gas exploration and exploitation.

Dakolo said Bayelsans were paying heavily for the enjoyment of the oil and gas resources by others outside the state and the region.

Other members of the commission present at the event included the Chair, BSOEC Expert Working Group and Director, Politics and Governance, Overseas Development Institute, United Kingdom, Dr Kathryn Nwajiakwu-Dahou, Head of the School of Law, University of Bradford, United Kingdom.

Others are Prof. Engobo Emeseh, Department of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Canada; Prof. Anna Zalik, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, California; Long-Term Non-Resident Fellow, Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, Uppsala, Sweden, Prof. Michael Watts; and Coordinator, Social Action International, Dr Isaac Asume Osuoka.

Also present were Harvir Kaur Sanga from the BSOEC Secretariat, Head of Business and Human Rights; and Deputy Programme Director · Amnesty International, United Kingdom, Mr. Mark Dummet; Chairman, Human and Environment Development Agenda (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraju; Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Rev. Nnimmo Bassey; and environmental activist, Ms Annkio Briggs, among others.

By Nathan Nwakamma

Ghana to import petroleum from Dangote Refinery – Official

Michael Simire
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Ghana to import petroleum from Dangote Refinery – Official

The National Petroleum Authority of Ghana says it is proposing to import refined petroleum products from Dangote Refinery to boost its energy security and sustain business cooperation with neighbours.

Dangote Refinery
Dangote Refinery

Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Chief Executive Officer, NPAG, said this at the 2024 OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week on Tuesday, October 29, in Lagos.

Speaking as one of the panelists, Abdul-Hamidsaid that the move was aimed at strengthening Ghana’s energy security, and to deepen regional economic cooperation.

The 2024 OTL, 18th edition, has the theme “Alliances for Growth”.

According to Abdul-Hamid, Ghana is seeking an agreement with Dangote Refinery and reducing its reliance on more costly imports from Rotterdam.

He said that Ghana had also expanded its export agreements to include Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, supplying international operational facilities, including U.S. military bases.

“The Dangote Refinery, with its large-scale output, is expected to meet Nigeria’s domestic demand, enabling excess production to be exported to Ghana,” he said.

Abdul-Hamid highlighted Ghana’s pipeline agreement with Burkina Faso as a model of effective regional cooperation to bolster petroleum supply and security, while calling for stronger regional partnerships.

He stressed the importance of a unified currency, enhanced infrastructure, and collaborative efforts to address West Africa’s energy challenges.

The chief executive officer called for resource-sharing to drive economic stability, noting that no African nation could achieve sustainable growth in isolation.

“Pooling human and infrastructure resources across the region can significantly strengthen our economies,” he said.

He suggested that West African nations aligned regulatory policies within the ECOWAS framework to foster seamless trade.

Abdul-Hamid acknowledged that, while the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provided a platform for collaboration, foreign exchange (FX) issues hindered intra-regional trade.

“Heavy reliance on the U.S. dollar for petroleum imports places constant pressure on local currencies, raising prices and reducing purchasing power,” he explained.

He proposed a common West African currency to reduce FX volatility and stabilise regional economies.

On regional economic stability through shared infrastructure, Abdul-Hamid emphasised the need for unified investments in infrastructure to lower transportation costs and improve distribution within the region.

“Transporting petroleum by road is both costly and risky, with hazards such as banditry.

“A shared pipeline infrastructure is safer and more cost-effective,” he said.

Abdul-Hamid cited the Ghana-Burkina Faso pipeline agreement, designed to reduce dependence on tanker transport and ensure consistent supply.

He said that Ghana had introduced regulatory policies that allowed marketers to share storage facilities, promoting cooperation and economic stability.

“This reform supports alliances among importers, enhancing business success and broader economic stability.”

Ms. Oluwatosin Aina, Group Head, Energy, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd., also echoed Abdul-Hamid’s call for a unified African currency.

Aina noted that dollar-based transactions inflated operational and product costs across the continent.

She explained that petroleum transactions with Dangote Refinery and Ghana’s Sentuo Oil Refinery must be dollar-based, “as no African refinery will sell Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in local currencies.”

The group head said that the end of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy had created new investment opportunities in downstream and midstream sectors, making it easier for banks to fund petroleum imports.

She, however, noted that dollar-denominated transactions continued to strain the naira and other regional currencies, calling for strengthened non-oil exports to improve FX inflows.

Aina suggested a model based on the European Union’s common currency, the euro, to stabilise African markets.

“Francophone African countries benefit from stable exchange rates under their shared currency, making them less vulnerable to FX volatility.

“Anglophone nations could adopt a similar approach to strengthen trade and financial stability,” she said.

Abdul-Hamid and Aina stressed the urgent need for a unified infrastructure and currency reforms.

They said that by aligning fiscal policies, petroleum infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks, West African nations could address currency challenges and ensure affordable, stable petroleum pricing for citizens.

By Yunus Yusuf

30% of regions worldwide achieve economic growth while reducing carbon emissions – Study

Michael Simire
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30% of regions worldwide achieve economic growth while reducing carbon emissions – Study

More and more regions around the globe combine economic growth with reducing carbon emissions, researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research found. The new study highlights the vital role of national climate actions in decoupling economic growth from CO2 emissions.

Coal-Fired-Power-Plant
GHG emission: A coal-fired power plant

The analysis of data from 1,500 regions over the past 30 years showed that 30 percent have managed to lower their carbon emissions while continuing to thrive economically. While this accelerating trend marks significant progress towards achieving the Paris Climate Agreement, the authors caution that the current pace of decoupling is insufficient to meet the global climate target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“We found that 30 percent of the regions with available data have fully decoupled carbon emissions from economic growth. Regions with high incomes and a history of carbon-intensive industries, as well as those with significant shares of service and manufacturing sectors were particularly successful in reducing carbon emissions while still experiencing economic growth,” says Anders Levermann, co-author and Head of the research department “Complexity Science” at PIK.

“A stabilisation of the global mean temperature is only possible with net-zero carbon emissions. That means that if economies want to grow, they need to be decoupled from CO2-emissions,” adds Levermann.

The success of decoupling is also driven by subnational climate action: “Specifically, EU cities that have implemented climate mitigation plans and regions that have received increased financial support for climate actions tend to show higher rates of decoupling,” explains Maria Zioga, PIK scientist and lead author of the study.

“Notably, Europe consistently outperforms other parts of the world, with many of its regions showing a continuous decoupling trend over the past 20 years. In contrast, North America and Asia have seen more fluctuating decoupling patterns over the decades, but there’s been an improvement trend in the last decade,” she adds.

Less than half of the regions will be able to achieve net-zero by 2050

While previous studies on carbon decoupling have primarily concentrated on nations or individual cities, researchers at PIK have taken a more granular approach while retaining a global scope. They analysed the economic outputs of 1,500 subnational regions where the observed per capita gross regional product (GRP) was increasing, accounting for 85% of global emissions.

By combining these data with gridded information on production-based carbon emission intensities over the past 30 years, they uncovered significant global patterns of decoupling. A lack of global data on consumption-based emissions at the subnational level means that the study does not reflect the impact of international trade, but nevertheless provides key insights into decoupling patterns across the world.

The researchers also estimated the year in which net-zero emissions could be achieved for each region by looking at past decoupling trends and their impact on emissions. “Developed countries appear likely to fulfill these targets ahead of others, but overall recent trends appear inadequate for achieving the net-zero by mid-century in most regions,” concludes co-author Maximilian Kotz, PIK guest researcher and PIK scientist at the time the study was conducted.

“If current decoupling rates continue, less than half of subnational regions will be able to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Therefore, all levels of government need to step up and developed countries in particular should increase their efforts and investment in the energy transition in the developing world in order to meet net-zero targets globally,” he stresses.

New UNFCCC report shows NDCs fall short of expectations

Michael Simire
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New UNFCCC report shows NDCs fall short of expectations

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, comments against the backdrop of the release of the 2024 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Synthesis Report on Monday, October 28, 2024. The report assesses the combined impact of nations’ current national climate plans (NDCs) on expected global emissions in 2030, among other measures

Simon Stiell
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell. Photo credit: IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth

Today’s NDC Synthesis Report must be a turning point, ending the era of inadequacy and sparking a new age of acceleration, with much bolder new national climate plans from every country due next year.

The report’s findings are stark but not surprising – current national climate plans fall miles short of what’s needed to stop global heating from crippling every economy, and wrecking billions of lives and livelihoods across every country.

By contrast, much bolder new national climate plans can not only avert climate chaos – done well, but they can also be transformational for people and prosperity in every nation.

Bolder new climate plans are vital to drive stronger investment, economic growth and opportunity, more jobs, less pollution, better health and lower costs, more secure and affordable clean energy, among many others benefits.

As expected, with countries currently working to put together new NDCs due next year, this year’s report shows only fractional progress compared to what is expected – and urgently needed – next year.

Current plans combined – if fully implemented – would see emissions of 51.5 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2030 – a level only 2.6 per cent lower than in 2019.  Greenhouse gas pollution at these levels will guarantee a human and economic trainwreck for every country, without exception.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut 43% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels. By 2035, net global greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut by 60% compared to 2019 levels. This is critical to limiting global heating to 1.5°C this century to avert the worst climate impacts. Every fraction of a degree matters, as climate disasters get rapidly worse.

The next round of national climate plans must deliver a dramatic step up in climate action and ambition.

While these plans are not one-size-fits-all, and are nationally determined, they all need to pass the ABC test:

They must have ambitious new emissions targets that are economy-wide, covering all greenhouse gases, keeping 1.5 degrees alive.

They must be broken down into sectors and gases.

And they must be credible, backed up by substantive regulations, laws, and funding to ensure goals are met and plans implemented.

New NDCs should also detail adaptation priorities and investments to protect critical sectors, infrastructure and people from climate impacts, and support and align with National Adaptation Plan processes.

They should have a time horizon to 2035, with much stronger 2030 targets to drive the deep emissions cuts needed globally this decade.

UN Climate Change – working closely with the wider UN system – is providing a range of practical support, particularly for vulnerable and developing countries, recognizing the severe capacity-constraints and other headwinds that many face.

As these new national climate plans will be among the most important policy documents so far this century, therefore UN Climate Change will deliver a series of events next year to support countries delivery of NDCs and engage the global public in the conversation about their delivery. Further details will be announced at COP29.

COP29 is a vital moment in the world’s climate fight, and today’s data is a blunt reminder of why COP29 must stand and deliver.

Governments must come to Baku ready to convert the pledges in the UAE Consensus at COP28 – tripling renewables, the global goal on adaptation, transitioning away from all fossil fuels – into real-world, real-economy results, protecting people and their livelihoods everywhere.

COP29 must be an enabling COP, delivering concrete and ambitious outcomes on climate finance that take account of developing country needs, recognizing that such support is core business to protect every nation and the global economy from rampaging climate impacts.

The last generation of NDCs set the signal for unstoppable change. New NDCs next year must outline a clear path to make it happen – by scaling up renewable energy, strengthening adaptation and accelerating the transition to low-carbon economies everywhere.

GCF Board’s $1bn for climate projects signals increased finance ahead of COP29

Michael Simire
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GCF Board’s $1bn for climate projects signals increased finance ahead of COP29

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board has approved a slate of innovative climate projects allocating more than $1.0 billion of GCF investment and bringing GCF’s portfolio of investments to a total of $16 billion, $61.5 billion, including expected co-financing, across 286 projects.

Mafalda Duarte
GCF Executive Director, Mafalda Duarte

The 40th Board meeting of the world’s largest multilateral climate fund concluded this week by approving 16 projects across 37 developing countries. In 2024, GCF committed $2.5 billion to 44 new projects, bringing the total number of countries with projects to 133.

GCF is mandated to support the needs of under-served countries and communities that are most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. This week, first-time country projects were approved in Angola to empower women groups to build climate resilience; in Iraq and Somalia to build resilience in agricultural livelihoods; and in Azerbaijan to strengthen early warning systems. Recognising that such countries already operate in constrained fiscal space, GCF financing for these projects is grant-based, as is the case for forty-two per cent of GCF’s total portfolio.

The climate finance ecosystem is calling for more innovative financial mechanisms, and GCF is committed to playing a lead role. This week, the Board approved a groundbreaking “debt for climate conversion” project in Barbados, which will create fiscal space and generate savings over time, allowing the country to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure.

The Inter-American Development Bank and the European Investment Bank joined this landmark transaction by providing guarantees. Four of the 16 approved projects illustrate GCF’s ability to leverage private sector investment. In Pakistan, GCF is working with a national entity, the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP), to support local homegrown climate solutions by harnessing Pakistan’s dynamic and growing start-up ecosystem.

GCF will fund a venture accelerator and will also make a first-loss equity commitment as an anchor investor into the Climaventures Fund. GCF is a pioneer public fund in using equity financing, with 12 per cent of the portfolio – $1.8 billion – supporting catalytic and impact investments. This leverages an additional $10 billion, a ratio of 1:5.5, with 28 per cent of its equity investments directed toward Least Developed Countries (LDC).

As part of GCF’s push to streamline access and facilitate wider partnerships, the Board, for the first time, approved a proposal under the pilot initiative Project-Specific Assessment Approach (PSAA). The pilot provides a one-step route to funding by assessing an entity’s capacity to meet GCF accreditation standards simultaneously with the project review. The project with One Acre Fund in Burundi will increase smallholder farmers’ food security in the face of increased climate vulnerability.

As an indication of GCF’s commitment to quickly deliver climate finance, the projects in Burundi and Somalia moved from Board approval to project signing to first disbursement in one day.

The Board adopted several policy decisions, including a landmark policy integrating REDD+ results-based payments into the Fund’s regular project activity cycle and a revised risk appetite statement reaffirming GCF’s commitment to proactive risk management and to accept considerable risks in its programmes and projects in return for high climate impact potential.

The Board also agreed to revise the accreditation framework for partners to simplify access to GCF funding. This will pave the way to improve GCF’s partnership model, broaden the Fund’s already huge network of partners, and speed up access to finance for developing countries.

The Board meeting approved the first-ever multi-year Secretariat work programme and budget, and made other decisions designed to enhance the efficiency of GCF’s operations.

Board Co-chair, Milagros De Camps German from the Dominican Republic, said: “This has been a productive Board meeting with the approval of a highly diverse portfolio of projects. We are particularly pleased to approve the first project under the pilot Project-Specific Assessment Approach in support of Burundian smallholder farmers as GCF seeks to expand the scope and reach of its partnerships and in the decision to mainstream support for REDD+ within our project cycle. We remain confident that the initiatives to strengthen GCF’s efficiency and effectiveness will deliver greater climate impact on the ground in developing countries.”

Board Co-chair Sarah Metcalf from the United Kingdom said: “The decisions at this Board show our commitment to accelerating climate action for climate-vulnerable nations. This includes the approval of single-country projects in four new countries. GCF continues to mobilise additional capital through innovative partnerships with the private sector. And the updated risk appetite statement reinforces GCF’s ability to invest in new markets and technologies and bring other funders to the table. I am confident that GCF will build even more momentum in 2025. As the Board, we will continue to prioritise the provision of critical financial resources by enhancing the accessibility, speed, and scale of GCF’s climate financing.”

GCF Executive Director, Mafalda Duarte, said: “In this moment of crisis, I am proud to announce that GCF has committed a landmark $2.5 billion of financing for 44 new projects in 2024. This week, the Board has approved $1 billion for 16 projects, broadening our reach including through country projects for the first time in Angola, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Somalia, and delivering innovation with a landmark debt for climate conversion in Barbados and new programmes to leverage private sector investment.”

GCF’s 40th Board Meeting (GCF B.40) was held from October 21 to 24, 2024, in its new board room in Songdo, Incheon, Republic of Korea. Around 300 participants attended, including observers from civil society and private sector organisations, National Designated Authorities (GCF’s country focal points), Accredited Entities, and other partners.

The Board meeting marked the final meeting of the 2024 Co-chairs, Milagros de Camps German and Sarah Metcalf who were thanked for their service. The Board elected Seyni Nafo and Leif Holmberg to be Co-Chairs for 2025.

Eight govts pledge $163m to Global Biodiversity Framework Fund

Michael Simire
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Eight govts pledge $163m to Global Biodiversity Framework Fund

Eight governments pledged an additional $163 million to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) on Monday, October 28, 2024, providing new targeted support to countries and communities working to conserve, restore, and ensure the long-term health of wild species and ecosystems.

Astrid Schomaker
Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity

During the Convention on Biological Diversity’s sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16), representatives from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Québec announced new financing for the fund that supports implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

They were joined by representatives of the GBFF’s other early contributors including Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, and Spain, and from countries that have received support to date from the Global Environment Facility-hosted fund, among them Brazil, Gabon, Mexico, and Fiji, plus representatives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, major philanthropies, and implementing agency partners such as the World Bank.

“I want to thank the national and subnational donors who stepped forward today to contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund. We know that the fund is needed now more than ever. We need it to be capitalised to permit resources to flow urgently to the national implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework,” said Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “This is about money and morale. A message of hope and global solidarity.”

“I think this session and the pledges that will come to the GBFF is very important for the next days and the decisions that we will be taking,” said Colombia’s Environment Minister and COP16 President, Susana Muhamad. “We all should consider ourselves partners with a common objective, which is actually in this case being able to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.”

The GBFF was established at the request of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP15 and was launched less than a year later at the Seventh GEF Assembly in August 2023. It has streamlined procedures to provide efficient support for developing countries, and can receive contributions from all sources, including public, private, and philanthropies.

“In less than one year, the GBFF has moved from launch to full-speed operation, with projects already reviewed, approved, and funded, and many more in the pipeline. The growing number of governments contributing to the GBFF is a sign of its momentum,” said GEF CEO and Chairperson, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez.

“Now that the fund is up and running, we have the systems in place to disburse support efficiently and at low cost. We are focused on continued improvements to keep up with the pace of ambition for biodiversity action, while keeping the necessary safeguards to ensure quality and trust for long-term, lasting results for nature,” Rodríguez added.

The funding announced in Cali included the first financing to the GBFF from a sub-national government.

“The Government of Québec is proud to be the first subnational government to contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund. If we want to ensure the successful implementation of the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework, and make sure to leave no one behind, we need to fully endorse a whole of society and whole of government approach,” said Martine Biron, Minister of International Relations and la Francophonie, Government of Québec.

“Québec is a longstanding contributor in climate cooperation, and we hope that this first substantial financial pledge in biodiversity will inspire other stakeholders to help everyone, especially the most vulnerable countries, to reach our common goal to live in harmony with nature,” added Biron.

In June 2024, the GBFF Council approved the fund’s first work program, with four projects in Brazil, Gabon, and Mexico, and another 18 project preparation grants approved. In total, 24 developing countries, including 13 Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, are currently accessing support from the fund.

GBFF support helps countries strengthen national-level biodiversity management, policy, governance, and resource mobilisation, including blended finance to leverage private sector financing. The fund has a target of having 20 percent of its funding support led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Canada, said: “These new pledges to the Global Biodiversity Fund are necessary to keep up momentum and contribute to close the biodiversity finance gap. It’s great to see partners like the government of Québec supporting these efforts. I urge all countries in a position to do so, as well as the private sector, philanthropic organisations, and other entities, to contribute to and collaborate with the GBFF to ensure the fund’s ongoing success and the full delivery of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework objectives.”

Magnus Heunicke, Denmark’s Environment Minister, said: “We have a shared global responsibility to protect nature and biodiversity, and urgent joint action is needed if we are to protect and restore the species and habitats that remain. With this support to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, we emphasise the Danish commitment to conserve biodiversity globally.”

Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister for Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate and Risk Prevention, said: “France is committed to deliver on international biodiversity finance, which according to the latest data is on a path towards our 2025 joint objective. With this first contribution to the GBFF, we are proud to stand alongside other donors and demonstrate our support for this fund, whose creation and first projects have been approved in record time, with a dedicated funding window for vulnerable countries that we wish to replicate and expand in the context of GEF-9.”

Jochen Flasbarth, Germany’s State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), said: “The GBFF is a key tool to scale up biodiversity finance and supports the quick implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The first projects are ready for implementation. The GBFF is delivering and demonstrates its ability to create impact on the ground: for nature and for people. Therefore, Germany will contribute an additional 50 million euro to the GBFF in 2024. However, additional funding from public and private sources is essential to keep up the GBFF’s promising development. That is why Germany is committing additional resources and urges other countries to join this effort!”

Serge Wilmes, Luxembourg’s Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, said: “At COP16, we continue our support for the GBFF. As the biggest per capita contributor, Luxembourg exemplifies a robust global commitment to scaling up biodiversity financing. A united effort is crucial for achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals. Together, we are building positive momentum and showcasing our dedication to a sustainable future.”

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: “New Zealand is pleased to contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund to help protect the world’s biodiversity and the services it provides for bolstering resilience to climate change and supporting economic sectors such as agriculture and tourism. New Zealand provided NZ$20 million to the GBFF in June 2024. This support complements New Zealand’s current work in managing invasive species, promoting resilient islands and other projects being delivered in the Pacific.”

Tore O. Sandvik, Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, said: “With this pledge to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, GBFF, we are broadening our total international nature investment to ramp up targeted support for countries and communities’ own efforts. This is essential as we work to advance a nature-positive economy, with policies and incentives that align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals and targets.”

COP16: New report reveals plummeting migratory shorebird populations globally

Michael Simire
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COP16: New report reveals plummeting migratory shorebird populations globally

As the UN Biodiversity Conference in Colombia enters its final days of negotiations, new IUCN Red List update reclassifies 16 shorebird species to higher threat categories.

Shorebird
Shorebird

According to the report, some populations of migratory shorebirds have decreased by more than a third.

BirdLife International, with partners spanning 119 countries, has called on governments at CBD COP16 to step up urgent actions for species to reverse declines and stop extinctions.

Indeed, the latest update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ reveals a highly concerning decline in populations of migratory shorebirds across the globe, with 16 species reclassified to higher threat categories.

Science shows the huge negative impact of declining species populations, with whole ecosystems and food chains being disrupted as a result. As birds migrate beyond borders, the new update highlights a need for more collaboration from governments without delay to reverse the losses of migratory birds.

Martin Harper, CEO, BirdLife International, said: ‘‘COP16 must be the catalyst for governments to back up commitments made two years ago with meaningful action to reverse the catastrophic declines in species populations. This means more action to bolster efforts to recover threatened species, more action to protect and restore more land, freshwater and sea, and more action to transform our food, energy and industrial systems – backed up by the necessary funding. The decline of migratory birds, which connect people across countries and continents, is a powerful symbol of how we are currently failing.’’

Birds are important indicators of the state of nature: they occur almost everywhere, their behaviours and ecology often mirror other groups of species, they are extremely well studied, and they are responsive to environmental change. With one in eight bird species threatened with extinction and 60% of bird species in decline globally, diminishing bird populations signal ecosystems in crisis. Many migratory birds follow specific routes called flyways3, stopping at various sites along the way to rest and feed. This makes them especially at risk from threats like habitat loss and climate change.

Dr Ian Burfield, Global Science Coordinator (Species) & Bird Red List Authority Coordinator, BirdLife International, said: ‘‘While many of these shorebirds remain numerous and are still commonly encountered along their flyways, new analyses of data from long-term monitoring schemes reveal that the global populations of some species have declined by more than a third in recent decades. In some cases, the rate of decline is accelerating – underlining the urgent need for research to diagnose the causes and coordinated conservation action to address them.’’

Shorebirds, often seen darting along beaches or feeding on mudflats, are a familiar sight all over the world. Coastal areas where many of these birds live also support millions of people by providing food, jobs, and storm protection. Protecting shorebirds is essential not just for the birds, but also for the coastal communities that depend on these habitats.

Dr Barend van Gemerden, Global Flyways Coordinator, BirdLife International, said: ‘‘The perilous declines of migratory birds are a sign that the integrity of flyways is deteriorating. Losing the network of habitats that migratory birds depend on to rest and feed during their long journeys could have severe consequences for the millions of people that rely on these sites, as well as the birds.’’

BirdLife International submitted: “We only have five more years of this defining decade. CBD COP16 is the moment to galvanise action to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Plummeting migratory bird populations signal that nature is in crisis. When we lose species, our future is compromised. Nature loss can be reversed but extinctions cannot.”

Climate change: Kukah Centre seeks increased govt commitment to renewable energy

Michael Simire
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Climate change: Kukah Centre seeks increased govt commitment to renewable energy

Executive Director, The Kukah Centre (TKC), Rev. Fr. Atta Barkindo, has urged governments at all levels to increase their commitments to renewable energy in the country.

Kukah Centre
Executive Director, The Kukah Centre (TKC), Rev. Fr. Atta Barkindo (left)

This, he said, they should do by prioritising investments, offering incentives, and expanding supportive policies for solar and wind projects.

Barkindo stated this on Monday, October 28, 2024, at a Nigerian Multi-faith National Dialogue on Medium and Long-Term Climate Goal, co-organised by The Kukah Centre, Eco Steward, Al-Habibiyya Islamic Society and GreenFaith Africa.

Barkindo said that, for over 60 years, Nigeria had relied on fossil fuels as the cornerstone of its economy.

He said that the wealth derived from oil had shaped the political landscape, funded infrastructure, and fueled Nigeria’s development.

The executive secretary, however, said that the legacy came at a profound cost as land, once abundant and fertile, now bears the scars of exploitation.

According to him, oil spills have poisoned waters, gas flares have darkened the skies, and communities have been torn apart by environmental degradation and economic disparity.

He said that the impacts of the extractive industry were not limited to the physical environment as the country had witnessed the displacement of communities, deepening inequality, and the erosion of livelihoods.

Barkindo said that dependence on fossil fuels had stunted diversification and innovation, adding that the corrupting power of the fossil fuel industry had been witnessed at different levels.

“We urge the Nigerian government to increase its commitment to renewable energy by prioritising investments, offering incentives, and expanding supportive policies for solar and wind projects.

“With decisive action, Nigeria can lead Africa’s clean energy future and foster a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient economy.

“The climate crisis we face is not just an environmental or economic issue; it is a profound moral issue.

“Fossil fuels have driven the global climate into peril, and Nigeria, despite its contributions to the problem, stands vulnerable to the worst impacts-droughts, floods, heat waves, and food insecurity.

“We are here today to raise a unified voice in demanding a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy transition that honours both the dignity of the human person and the integrity of creation,” Barkindo said.

The executive secretary called for a national commitment to renewable energy for all Nigerians, just compensation for affected communities as well as financial and policy support for a green economy.

Barkindo called for an inclusive dialogue and participation of all stakeholders and a global solidarity and climate finance.

Also speaking, the Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyya Islamic Society, Sheikh Fuad Adeyemi, tasked religious leaders to join forces with government by educating their followers on environmental protection.

He said that they had always held a unique position of influence in the Nigerian society as they were regarded as trusted voices, often serving as pillars of strength and guidance in our communities.

According to him, this places a profound responsibility upon them to not only raise awareness but to lead the way in advocating for transition to a clean energy future that leaves no one behind.

“Nigeria, like many nations, faces an urgent need to transition from fossil fuels to renewable and sustainable sources of energy.

“Climate change is already impacting our weather patterns, food security and health.

“Prolonged droughts, heat waves and unpredictable rainfall patterns affect our farmers and threaten food supplies and lead to resource conflicts.

“Those who suffer most are often the poorest among us, whose lives depends closely on the land and its stability,” he said.

Also, Ms. Hafisat Mohammed, a climate change activist, said that Nigeria was faced with climate challenges resulting from oil extraction in the Niger Delta and mining in the northern region.

Mohammed said that the environment was given to man in trust and that all stakeholders should ensure sustained awareness on the negative effects of climate change.

By EricJames Ochigbo

Climate-induced floods: 200 communities in Kogi submerged – CSDevNet

Michael Simire
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Climate-induced floods: 200 communities in Kogi submerged – CSDevNet

The Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) on Monday, October 28, 2024, said that more than 200 communities have been submerged and two million people displaced due to climate-induced floods in Kogi State.

CSDevNet
The Keep Your Promise Campaign focuses on holding global leaders accountable for their climate pledges

The National Network Coordinator, CSDevNet, Mr. Stephen Abu, made the disclosure during an advocacy tagged “Keep Your Promise Campaign” to Lokoja flooded areas.

Abu said that the Keep Your Promise Campaign was an initiative launched by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) in 2023.

According to him, the campaign focuses on holding global leaders accountable for their climate pledges, particularly as they relate to climate finance and adaptation, ahead of the 29th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The COP is an annual international climate conference where world leaders gather to discuss and agree on climate action, strategies, and policies.

“As we approach COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the campaign emphasises the urgency of delivering on climate pledges and advancing climate justice.

“We are raising awareness about the severe impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities in Kogi and across Africa, particularly the disproportionate burden borne by the continent.

“Kogi, situated at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, stands as a tragic testament to the devastating impacts of climate change,” he said.

The CSDevNet coordinator added that the annual floods, exacerbated by rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and deforestation, have wiped out homes, farmlands, and livelihoods, leaving communities in despair.

He stated that the floods were not isolated incidents as they were part of a larger climate crisis that Africa faces due to the actions of high-emitting nations.

“Despite being the least responsible for climate change, Africa suffers its most catastrophic effects.

“The Kogi flooding crisis epitomises the failure of global powers to deliver on their climate finance and justice promises.

“These promises made in forums like the Paris Agreement have not materialised on the scale necessary to protect the most vulnerable, who bear the heaviest burdens.

“The floods in Kogi highlight an urgent need for climate justice. Millions remain displaced, living in makeshift shelters with little to no access to clean water, sanitation, or healthcare.

“For Kogi and many other African regions, climate justice is not an abstract concept; it is a matter of survival,” he stressed.

KogiState Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management, Mr. Olusegun Joseph, commended the CSDevNet and PACJA for the initiative.

Joseph, however, called for improved support for the state in tackling its flood issues.

The commissioner said that the state government, under the leadership of Gov. Ahmed Ododo, had been doing its best to mitigate the flood effects by providing IDP camps and relief materials to flood victims.

He, however, said that the state government cannot do it alone and called on the Federal Government, corporate and international organisations to support the state, emphasising that the state was already overwhelmed.

Similarly, Prof. Dauda Tanko, Founder, Green Haven Environment and Sustainable Development Network, stressed the need for people to hold global leaders accountable for the devastating effects of climate change.

“We expect the people to be aware that global leaders are responsible for mitigating and reducing the impact of climate change so that they can take action,” he said.

CSDevNet and other stakeholders held a “Walk for climate justice” to flood areas in Lokoja, carrying placards displaying key messages and calling for global leaders to keep their promises on climate action and finance.

The various inscriptions on the placards include “Honour Your Commitment,” “Scale Up Adaptation Financing,” and “Pay For Your Climate Debts.”

Others were “Keep Your Promises,” “Stop Shifting Burden To Africa”, and “Carbon Markets Are False Solutions, Stop!” among others.

By Stephen Adeleye

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