Response to the UK Government’s announcement on Climate Adaptation, 8 November

Practical Action’s head of climate and resilience and member of the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance has welcomed the UK Government’s commitment to providing more funding for adaptation and joined with for it to go much further.

Responding to the announcement, Colin McQuistan said: “We welcome the UK Government’s commitment to providing funding for adaptation in Asia Pacific (BBC, here) and to making humanitarian action, faster, more efficient and more focused. But this does not go far enough. It will not meet adaptation needs across developing countries around the world, nor unstick the issue of finance for loss and damage.

A woman collects water in Bangladesh from a well prepared to withstand flood waters during the monsoon.

“We know that flooding, for example, affects more people globally than any other type of climate exacerbated event – 635 million people every year – alongside other extreme climate events which have the most devastating impacts in the poorest countries, which bear the least responsibility.

“How far will this spread? We need governments to meet their $100bn commitments, and to focus on building resilience of those who need it most. For every USD1 spent on flood prevention and resilience, USD5 is saved on recovery.”

Click here to find out more about why Practical Action is at COP26 and what we are asking for.

The Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance is at COP26 to raise awareness of the impact and cost of flooding and other climate related hazards on communities across the globe and the major gaps in funding, policy, and practice that neglect those worst affected by climate change.

The Alliance is doing this through a wide range of activities, both in Glasgow and online, most of which you’re very welcome to join us in.

You can also find out more about what they are calling for COP26 to deliver, and why, in this blog.