Contribution of $10 million from Québec to promote international climate cooperation

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 3, 2023 /CNW/ - In the run-up to the 7^th Adaptation Futures (AF2023) Conference, to be held from October 2 to 6, 2023 in Montréal, Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks and Minister Responsible for the Laurentides Region Benoit Charette and Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Martine Biron are proud to announce a new C$10-million contribution to the Adaptation Fund (AF) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This marks Québec's fourth contribution to the AF, thus bringing its total commitment to C$33 million.

Québec is an initiative-taking, credible intervener in the realm of international climate cooperation. In The 2030 Plan for a Green Economy (2030 PGE), the government committed itself to pursuing the efforts put forward with the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts. This contribution thus responds to the 2023-2028 Implementation Plan of the 2030 PGE aimed at supporting Québec and multilateral international climate cooperation initiatives. Moreover, it aligns with the Paris Agreement, which Québec has committed to implementing within its areas of jurisdiction.

"It is essential for Québec to contribute to the support of efforts for addressing climate change in countries that are the most vulnerable and the most exposed to climate change impacts. This support reiterates Québec's commitment to implementing the objectives of the Paris Agreement, which calls for increased funding to developing countries."

Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks and Minister Responsible for the Laurentides Region

"This Québec contribution to the Adaptation Fund confirms that the fight against climate change is a priority for our government both at home and on the international stage. Québec's leadership in this area is recognized and commended the world over. Moreover, this initiative will enable Québec to consolidate its reputation in the realm of climate cooperation. Québec continues to stand with the most vulnerable developing nations of the world by funding initiatives that will help mitigate and combat climate change."

Martine Biron, Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

"The Adaptation Fund is grateful to the Government of Quebec for its new 10 million dollars pledge to the Fund, which will go toward serving the most vulnerable countries and communities through locally led concrete, scalable projects on the ground and innovative funding windows that empower country ownership in adaptation. About 40% of the Fund's portfolio is in Africa, including Sub-Saharan Africa and many vulnerable Francophone developing countries. As the Fund continues to receive record demand for projects from the developing countries it serves, we are further pleased to see Quebec take a leadership role in being a consistent contributor to scale up climate adaptation action -- which is urgently needed."

Mikko Ollikainen, Head of the Adaptation Fund

• Since January 1, 2012, the AF has become the main financial adaptation-related mechanism for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. The projects that the AF finances encompass a broad range of adaptation-related sectors, in particular food security, water management, sustainable agriculture, coastal zone management, disaster risk reduction, urban and rural development, and forests.
• The AF was created under the Kyoto Protocol of the UNFCCC. Since its inception in 2007, it has granted approximately US$1 billion to support the implementation of 150 adaptation projects, thus benefiting 41 million people.
• What is more, the latest report of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) focusing on the gap between adaptation needs and perspectives  notes that while various nations' planning has advanced, enormous funding discrepancies persist with respect to the developing world to ensure that climate change adaptation projects afford genuine protection against consequences such as drought, flooding, and rising sea levels.
• The annual adaptation costs in the developing countries are now estimated at US$70 billion. They should stand at between US$140 billion and US$300 billion in 2030, and between US$280 billion and US$500 billion in 2050. With this in mind, the UN is asking countries to mobilize funds for especially vulnerable developing countries and to earmark half of all global climate funding for adaptation to climate change.

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