Poor nations are far less able than wealthier countries to cope with dangers like fiercer storms, he said. The UNEP report warned, however, that COVID-19 had pushed adaptation to climate change down the political agenda. Developing nations faced even steeper adaptation funding challenges amid COVID-19, with climate impacts worsening even as budgets ran short and governments struggled to access financial markets, he added. UNEP chief Andersen backed a recent call by the UN secretary-general for donor countries to agree before November's COP26 climate summit to dedicate half of international climate finance to help poor nations adapt to global warming impacts. UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa urged rich nations to urgently make up the longstanding shortfall in funding and asked all countries to produce specific national plans for adaptation.

Source: bd News24 January 14, 2021 16:07 UTC