THE JAKARTA POST – The theme of the United Nations COP29 (Conference of Parties 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, which will take place from November 12 to 23, 2024, is the primary task of ensuring wealthy countries' commitment to provide climate change mitigation and adaptation funds to low- and middle-income countries. This commitment still faces many obstacles. The required funds are US$2,4 trillion by 2030 to finance climate mitigation efforts, including significant emissions reductions, as well as adaptation efforts, including mitigating the negative impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities. Negotiations at COP28 in Dubai last year failed to reach an agreement, and preparations before COP29 indicated that the agreement by wealthy countries to provide only US$100 million per year would not be sufficient for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). Therefore, COP29 may lead to a compromise on this issue.
In the context of COP29, Indonesia's focus is on how climate funding commitments are realized and how they can be accessed by communities already taking climate action. Therefore, the ongoing global debate provides an opportunity, in the same spirit, for philanthropy to play a crucial role in helping bridge the gap in climate funding efforts for communities. A concrete example of the catalytic role of climate action funding for communities is supported primarily by philanthropists such as the Ford Foundation, in collaboration with the Environmental Fund Management Agency (BPDLH), which provides funding through campuses and non-governmental organizations to empower communities engaged in climate action at the regional level related to forest, peatland, and mangrove conservation. Another example is funding provided by GIZ (German Institute for International Cooperation) to assist in the recognition of Customary Forests in Indigenous Communities in Kalimantan. The Ford Foundation also accelerates direct non-governmental funding to Indigenous Communities and communities. Dana Nusantara (Nusantara Fund) which was initiated by AMAN, KPA, WALHI. Dana Nusantara established 15 months after the COP 26 agreement in Glasgow on climate finance.
Examples of successful philanthropic roles as catalysts like this can also be done in various forms through partnerships with non-governmental organizations and the private sector. Funding can also be done at the national and regional levels by applying the principle of "moving to do" then making improvements and innovations in minimizing obstacles. So that the gap in the global debate at the country level and the uncertain access to climate funding such as at COP29 this time can be helped by non-governmental mechanisms and Philanthropy, especially in dealing with the ongoing climate crisis.
