#GAGGAatCOP28 : An Urgent Call for Gender Just Climate Finance

The climate crisis continues to escalate, and the urgency for meaningful solutions has never been more palpable. As world leaders gather for COP28, it’s crucial that grassroots voices, especially those of women, girls, trans, intersex, and non-binary people and structurally excluded communities of Indigenous, Afrodescendant, rural, and young women are not just heard but leading on the solutions we craft. In order to make that a reality, climate finance needs to be shifted away from false climate solutions and dangerous distractions, such as large scale dams and monoculture plantations, leading to human rights violations and destruction of ecosystems, towards gender just climate solutions.

GAGGA’s Objective and Position at COP28

GAGGA’s primary goal at COP28 is to amplify advocacy messages from GAGGA partners, ensure their active participation, champion support and funding for gender just climate solutions and calling out false climate solutions. GAGGA’s broad, diverse and proactive approach is representing the myriad voices that make up our network. GAGGA also supports Counter COP spaces. One of the many such voices from the GAGGA network is that of the African Women’s Climate Assembly at the African People’s Counter COP held between 24 – 28 September 2023. Through the assembly, the participants issued a declaration with their demands for climate justice, reparations, and development alternatives. GAGGA stands in solidarity with the Women’s Climate Assembly and will be supporting in uplifting their declaration at COP28.

While we recognize that the UNFCCC COP is key for advancing global commitments on climate justice through effective policies and financing, GAGGA is concerned about the increasing inaccessibility and corporate capture of COP spaces, and the conflict of interest and human rights issues which undermine progress and credibility of the process. Climate action will be inadequate if the interests of the fossil fuel industry get in the way. We share the various expressions of concern expressed about the appointment of Dr. Sultan Al Jaber as the COP28 President-Designate, the driving force behind Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, a leading global contributor to fossil fuel expansion. Moreover, civil society continues to raise concerns about the shrinking civic space for environmental and human rights defenders around the world, including in COP host countries. Climate justice and human rights are deeply interconnected and cannot be achieved without the other. There should be a clear UNFCCC accountability framework to avoid conflict of interests in the future, and we urge the UNFCCC Secretariat, COP Presidency and all parties for the protection of fundamental rights of all participants.

Now, more than ever, with six out of nine planetary boundaries crossed and an impending breach of a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees, the most vulnerable groups stand to be the most affected. Our advocacy at COP28 is to demand urgent and bold policies and investments that prioritize human rights, gender justice, and those most impacted by this crisis.

Here is how you can join us and support our work:

Join Our COP28 Side Event: Gender Just Climate Policy And Finance

Join GAGGA, Fundo Casa Socioambiental, and Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Program (NTFP-EP) for a pivotal discussion on ensuring gender just climate policy and finance for women-led community-based organizations (CBOs). These CBOs, although leading some of the most impactful gender just climate solutions, often find themselves marginalized from mainstream financing and decision-making.

Event Highlights:

• Hear from local CBO and NGO representatives how they implement gender just climate solutions
• Learn more about the current obstacles they face to access finance and meaningfully engage in decision-making processes
• Engage in an interactive dialogue between practitioners, governmental representatives and philanthropic donors to make gender-just climate policy and finance a reality

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, 3 December 2023
• Time: 13:15 – 14:45 UAE Time
• Venue: SE Room 7, Expo City Dubai
• Online Participation: Register here.

Whether you’re attending in person or virtually, this event is tailored to offer an inclusive experience. We ensure accessibility with closed captions and multiple language interpretations.

Join Our Women and Gender Pavilion at COP28 Session

Join GAGGA at the Women and Gender Pavilion for a crucial session with Young Women Environmental Human Rights Defenders. This session, titled “Brave Space – Young and Fearless: The Powerful Voices of Young Women Environmental Rights Defenders,” brings together dynamic voices from across the Global South. In this session, we aim to gather and build upon the rich knowledge and experiences of our partners and allies, enhancing linkages, learning, and exchanges on youth leadership within the intersections of climate justice and gender justice. This platform provides an opportunity to understand the bold role young women from Indigenous and excluded communities play in advocating for urgent climate action and challenging the financial and power structures behind resource exploitation.

Event Highlights:

• Engage with young climate activists who are shaping the future of environmental advocacy.
• Delve into the challenges and victories of young women leading gender just climate action.
• Participate in a cross-generational exchange of ideas and strategies for effective climate justice.

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, 5 December 2023
• Time: 10:00 – 11:30 am UAE Time
• Venue: Women and Gender Pavilion, Blue Zone

Amplify on social media: GAGGA’s COP28 Toolkit

Use this #GAGGAatCOP28 toolkit to support and amplify GAGGA partner voices, and champion our key messages. We believe in the power of collective action, and with this toolkit, we invite you to be a part of this movement.

Deep Dives: Conversation with the GAGGA Network

We’ve conversed with various Indigenous, environmental justice, and youth organizations within the GAGGA network to gain insight into their perspectives on COP, Indigenous and youth voices, phasing out fossil fuels, and the importance for gender just climate finance for grassroots communities. Here are six articles diving deep into these subjects. Read. Learn. Amplify.

• Beyond Red Tape: Making Climate Finance Gender Just
• From Local to Global: Indigenous Voices in Climate Dialogues
• Young and Fearless: The Powerful Voices of Young Women Environmental Rights Defenders at COP28
• Harnessing People Power to End the Fossil Era: A Conversation with 350.org
• Beyond the Spotlight – Grassroots Advocacy and the Quest for True Change in the African Region
• Indigenous Resilience and Rights: Steering the Dialogue at COP28
• Bridging the Gap: The Urgent Need for Grassroots Voices at Global Forums

Together, with concerted efforts and clear goals, we can reshape the climate narrative to be more inclusive, just, and geared towards real solutions. Join us in this journey at COP28 and beyond.

Attending COP28 in-person? Connect with us!

Interested in learning more about our initiatives or partnering with GAGGA? Whether it’s to connect with our partners, request an interview, or join our events, we’d love to hear from you! 

For any inquiries or collaborations, please get in touch with:

• Noemi Grütter, GAGGA Co-Coordinator, Advocacy and Collaborations: n.grutter@fondocentroamericano.org
• Suman Saurav, GAGGA Communications Strategist: gaggacommunication@fondocentroamericano.org