Glasgow-Sharm el Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation will drive momentum to bring global goal to life: PGA

The Glasgow-Sharm el Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation will help to drive momentum to bring the Global Goal to life, says President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Abdulla Shahid.

He made this remark following the ongoing Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation, which the PGA applauded.

The PGA, also serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, commended the leadership of the president, as both a fellow Maldivian and advocate for resilience. He also commended the efforts of the president to strengthen the Maldives against the tides - literally and figuratively - of climate change.

PGA Shahid noted that he is aware of the impacts of climate change on those most vulnerable, as it is a reality that small islanders live with، day in and day out.

With this being said, he expressed encouragement that along with the commitment to keep the 1.5°C alive and to reinvigorate efforts to mitigate climate change, the international community was able to launch the Glasgow-Sharm el Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation.

PGA Shahid welcomed the progress made outlining the scope, the institutional arrangements, objectives and activities of the work programme to be concluded by COP28, for the first Global Stocktake.

Noting that more needs to be done to bring the Global Goal on Adaptation to life, PGA Shahid commended the launching event and went on to make three key points.

As a first point, the Maldivian minister urged to ensure coherence, as adaptation and resilience go hand-in-hand. He noted that resilience-building is fundamental to delivering and maintaining the 2030 Agenda.

With this, he urged to ensure adaptation efforts are in sync with the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Secondly, he shed light on the ever-critical need to secure financing.

As such, acknowledging and applauding countries who have contributed, the PGA reiterated that 50 percent of climate finance is still needed to go towards adaptation and to ensure that all those who are already on the front lines of climate impacts are not left behind.

As his third point, the PGA stated that efforts must be context specific.

Detailing his point, the Maldivian minister stated that being context specific makes the attempt to define a global goal ever more difficult, however, he noted that climate impacts vary from country to country, and even community to community.

PGA Shahid stated that mountainous areas may suffer landslides, glacial regions may see flooding and coastal areas may see erosion, adding that there is no “one size fits all”.

With this being said, PGA Shahid stated that adaptation must be done with local governments and citizens at the forefront. So, taking into account specific contexts is important.

He concluded by ensuring his confidence that a balance and path forward can be found together; a path that allows stakeholders to secure financing, to design context specific programmes of action as well as to drive forward sustainable development efforts that are resilient and adaptation appropriate