UN Cancels This Year’s Regional Climate Weeks

IMAGE COURTESY : Climate Home News

Earlier, the UN climate chief, Simon Stiell, had made an urgent appeal for more funding for the UNFCCC at the Copenhagen, Denmark Climate Ministerial, stating that it is facing “severe financial challenges”. And now this week, the UNFCCC confirmed that this year’s Regional Climate Weeks will be cancelled until further notice. Events for Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East will be put on hold until further notice because of a lack of funds. Which is hugely disappointing because these were the world’s most vulnerable.

The climate weeks are a vital opportunity to bring a stronger regional voice – the developing countries who are facing the most consequences of climate change and global warming. A crisis which they had done the least to cause.

Four Regional Climate Weeks were held in 2023 to build momentum ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai last year. The first Climate Week was held in Africa from 4-8 September 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya. Middle East and North Africa Climate Week was held from 9-12 October 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Latin America and Caribbean, the third Climate Week took place from 23-27 October, 2023, in Panama City. The fourth and last Asia-Pacific Climate Week was held in Johor, Malaysia. Last year’s climate week had attracted 26,000 participants and brought together policymakers, scientists and other experts from multiple regions, who made key contributions feeding into the COP28 summit agenda.

Each Regional Climate Week provided a vital platform for those shouldering the heaviest burden of the climate crisis – such as women and girls, people experiencing marginalisation, and Indigenous communities – to share their experiences, expertise, and unique perspectives.

The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy