Introduction
An Interfaith Talanoa Dialogue held on 30th November in Dubai, UAE, brought together diverse faith communities as a prelude to COP28 to strengthen our faith-based partnerships and efforts at COP28.
Our sharing during the Interfaith Talanoa Dialogue illustrates the great unity that exists between different faiths and spiritual traditions in our deep concern about the severe state of our Mother Earth.
The scientific reports of the IPCC affirm that the world is propelling forward on a very dangerous trajectory. Life on Earth is in grave danger.
We urgently need a new narrative to act against false market- and technology-driven solutions, short-termism, and economic models that do not prioritize the health of our communities and ecosystems. This narrative must have at core the moral obligation to act and act now. The most vulnerable must be protected and those who have profited from human-made greenhouse gas emissions must act responsibly.
Our different faiths have narratives that lead us to protect and to love our neighbor. Faith communities can and must underpin a just transition for climate justice.
Our dialogues on the 30th of November with over 150 faith-rooted representatives resulted in this call, covering different themes of the COP28 negotiations.
Climate change & intergenerational justice
The climate crisis is endangering the future of coming generations. Youth face inexcusable levels of inequity, and that inequity will persist if children and youth are not included in the decision-making now. Young people must be supported, including through education, in order to fully engage in the COPs decision-making processes.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Recognize next generations in COP discussions as part of the solution
− Make every effort to ensure that youth are included in all climate policies and actions and prioritize youth in decision-making with a guaranteed youth quota in all decision-making bodies
− Ensure that youth voices and participation are supported in learning about the processes so they can be effective in their roles and establish opportunities to build capacities and enable youth to meaningfully engage
Indigenous Peoples’ participation in the negotiations
Indigenous Peoples presence at COPs has been tokenistic at best. The Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples’ Platform is encouraging, but the imperative to include Indigenous voices in climate decisions has never been more urgent.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Grow and strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ representation in decision-making processes
− Embed and acknowledge Indigenous rights, voices, and knowledge in mitigation, adaptation, and across all policy areas and funds
− Act to protect Indigenous human rights and environmental defenders.
Gender-inclusive climate action & the Gender Plan of Action
We cannot talk about Mother Earth and ignore the gender dimensions of climate change. Women and girls are fourteen times more likely to die in climate-induced disasters than men and boys. At the same time, women’s particular experiences can contribute to effective climate actions.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Acknowledge women’s unique resources and competencies for dealing with climate change
− Consider national women’s action plans, including revamping economic indicators
− Include women in decision-making bodies and mainstream gender across all platforms
Climate finance
Rich and industrialized nations have a moral obligation to pay for mitigation and adaptation efforts in poor and climate-vulnerable nations. Climate finance is not charity. It is about paying a fair share based on the Polluter Pays Principle and Common but Differentiated Responsibility.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Ensure public and private finance are flowing in the same direction: away from fossil fuels investments towards climate action
− Amplify Global South voices in climate finance negotiations
− Ensure that climate finance is need-based and takes the form of grants rather than loans
Mitigation & just transition
Mitigation and a just transition must be held together. It is incredible that the fossil fuel industry still receives trillions of dollars in investments and subsidies. The Doctrine of Discovery and colonization continue to shape the mitigation agenda.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Commit to rapid mitigation and dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery in the mitigation agenda
− Stop subsidies to the fossil fuel industry
− Making ecocide an international crime and act for Ecocide Law
− Endorse the call for a Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty
The Global Goal on Adaptation
Gender equality, Indigenous knowledge, local ownership and leadership, and ecosystem-based interventions are critical for climate adaptation.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Integrate guiding principles of equity and justice in climate finance
− Foster people-centered and local led adaptation finance including in the restructuring of multilateral banks and funds.
− Develop solid targets and adhere to transparency frameworks and a clear means of implementation
Loss and Damage
The decision at COP 28 to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund is a step forward but the pledges so far are way too low. Presently the fund is a mechanism for voluntary action. This means there is a risk that funds may simply shift from one source to another.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Ensure that the Loss and Damage fund supports previous, historic and new Loss and Damages
− Include non economic losses and damages
− Secure funding that will be new and additional and take the form of grants instead of loans
The Global Stocktake (GST) process
The GST process must lay out a clear pathway for engaging stakeholders and grassroots communities. It needs to set commitments for transforming Earth’s systems - including energy, food and land use - and it needs to look at climate, nature and biodiversity from a holistic and integrated perspective.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Consider in the GST process historical emissions and references to the global carbon budget.
− Secure more ambitious and robust Nationally Determined Contributions and sectoral targets
− Consider the interdependencies between climate and biodiversity
Human rights
A rights-based approach should guide climate actions. Climate change affects a range of human rights. This has seen the recognition of the Right to a Clean and Healthy Envrionment and the appointment of a Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change, as well as the current process for an Advisory Opinion on Human Rights and Climate Change from the International Court of Justice. Climate actions and the transition to an economy based on renewables must protect the rights of women, Indigenous Peoples, and migrants. The Action on Climate Empowerment protocol (ACE) can support local communities in asserting their rights.
We call upon COP 28 to
− Strengthen human rights language in climate agreements
− Establish accountability mechanisms to redress human rights impacts in the context of climate change
− Guarantee that Indigenous rights are considered and protected in the implementation of climate actions
International food systems & agriculture
The fundamental right to food must be implemented while the impact of agriculture on climate must be addressed. To achieve that, we must invest in the transformation of our food systems.
We call on COP 28 to
− recognize food as a fundamental human right in the climate discussions
− consider in the climate negotiations the impacts of climate change on the right to food as well as the impacts of industrial food production on the climate
− include sustainable agriculture in nature-based solutions and shift subsidies to incentivize the transformation of our food systems