Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Incremental win: On ‘Loss and Damage’ fund commitment at COP27

Incremental win: On ‘Loss and Damage’ fund commitment at COP27

COP27 commits to a compensation (नुकसान भरपाई) fund, but leaves important questions for later

The two-week long climate conference in Egypt has drawn to a close with a symbolic victory in the form of a fund that will compensate some of the countries bearing the brunt of climate change (जलवायु परिवर्तन)-linked natural disasters. However, progress on action to keep temperatures from rising beyond 1.5°C of pre-industrial levels (पूर्व-औद्योगिक स्तर) was limited (सीमित, मामूली, अपर्याप्त). The 27th edition of the United Nations Conference of the Parties was projected (परियोजना, भविष्यवाणी, अनुमान) to be an ‘implementation (कार्यान्वयन, आरोपण, प्रवर्तन)’ COP that would have decisively (दृढ़ता से, जोरदार ढंग से) resolved questions on how developed countries, responsible for the bulk (most, larger part, larger number) of historical emissions (ऐतिहासिक उत्सर्जन), would make good on an old promise to provide developing countries $100 billion annually by 2020. And whether the world would commit to end all categories of fossil fuel (जीवाश्म ईंधन), and not just coal. Despite (बावजूद, होने पर भी) hours of negotiations (बातचीत, चर्चा), these deadlocks (गतिरोध) remain. COP27 will certainly be remembered as the COP of Loss and Damages (L&D). A nearly three-decade (दशक, दस साल का समय।) old movement (campaign, drive), first initiated by the island nation of Vanuatu (an island nation (a group of more than 80 islands) in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and west of Fiji. It, previously known as the New Hebrides Islands, achieved independence from France and Britain in 1980) and the Alliance (संधि, संघ, साझेदारी) of Small Island States, has come to partial fruition (realization, achievement, accomplishment/completion). There will now be a dedicated fund to compensate the most vulnerable (unprotected, ill-protected, endangered, unguarded; in jeopardy, at risk) developing countries that are already bearing the brunt of climate change-linked natural disasters. L&D refers to impacts of climate change that cannot be avoided either by mitigation (moderation, reduction, decrease, eradication) (cutting greenhouse gas (heat-trapping gas; a gas (such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) in the atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation, causing the greenhouse effect and warming of Earth’s temperature. emissions) or adaptation (alteration, modification, adjustment. (adjustments in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. It refers to changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change)) (modifying practices to buffer against climate change impacts). They also include not only economic damage to property but also loss of livelihoods (means of making a living with the basic necessities (food, water, shelter and clothing); means of support, subsistence, source of income), and the destruction of biodiversity (the existence of a number and variety of species (plants & animals) in a particular geographic region/environment) and sites that have cultural importance. This broadens (widen, increase, enlarge) the scope for affected nations to claim compensation.

The text (point, issue, subject, topic) approved at Sharm el-Sheikh only commits to a fund being created and leaves discussions for how it is to be set up (create, start, begin, initiate) and, most importantly, who will pay how much to it, for future COP negotiations. While there have been nominal (official, formal) commitments by Scotland and Wallonia (Belgium) to donate (pay up, give, contribute, fork out, shell out) to such a fund, the estimated L&D is already over $500 billion. During negotiations this year, the European Union pressed hard for China, the Arab states and “large, developing countries” — and this could include India — to contribute (play a part in, be instrumental in, be a factor in) on the grounds (reason) that they were large emitters. This already opens up fresh occasion (time, moment) for acrimony (bitterness, hostility, resentment) in future COPs and given that barely (hardly, scarcely, only just, almost not) a third of committed climate finance has made its way to developing countries, the L&D fund too might take years before it can meaningfully operate. While the gain is incremental (gradual, step-by-step, phased), countries ought not to lose momentum (energy, strength, impetus) and must work harder to ensure that COPs remain credible (trustworthy, reliable, dependable; believable, plausible, reasonable) catalysts (stimulus, motivation, fillip/encouragement) and are not occasions for pyrrhic ((of a victory) meaningless, valueless/worthless, useless) victories.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.commitment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबद्धता, वादा
English Meaning - promise, vow, assurance; deal.

2.compensation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नुकसान भरपाई
English Meaning - payment, repayment, settlement (for loss/damage).

3.climate change (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जलवायु परिवर्तन
English Meaning - a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth (Courtesy: NASA).

4.pre-industrial level (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्व-औद्योगिक स्तर
English Meaning - In principle, ‘pre-industrial levels’ could refer to any period of time before the start of the industrial revolution. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C uses the reference period 1850–1900 to represent pre-industrial temperature.

5.limited (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सीमित, मामूली, अपर्याप्त
English Meaning - little, slight, insufficient, inadequate.

6.project (verb)

Hindi Meaning - परियोजना, भविष्यवाणी, अनुमान
English Meaning - predict, estimate, calculate, gauge, reckon, expect.

7.implementation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यान्वयन, आरोपण, प्रवर्तन
English Meaning - imposition, enforcement, execution, carrying out.

8.decisively (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - दृढ़ता से, जोरदार ढंग से
English Meaning - emphatically, resoundingly, conclusively, markedly, definitely.

9.historical emissions (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ऐतिहासिक उत्सर्जन
English Meaning - the total quantity of CO2 emissions emitted from past centuries, measured in metric tons.

10.fossil fuel (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जीवाश्म ईंधन
English Meaning - non renewable resources (or fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are formed from the buried/deposited organic materials).

11.despite (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - बावजूद, होने पर भी
English Meaning - notwithstanding, in spite of, regardless of.

12.negotiations (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बातचीत, चर्चा
English Meaning - discussions, talks, dialogue, consultation, deliberation.

13.deadlock (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गतिरोध
English Meaning - stalemate, impasse, checkmate/stand-off.

14.decade (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दशक, दस साल का समय।
English Meaning - a period of ten years.

15.alliance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संधि, संघ, साझेदारी
English Meaning - association, union, partnership.

16.27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) (noun)

English Meaning - The 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was being held from 6 November until 18 November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The participants include representatives of the 195 member-countries of the UN-COP, business persons, scientists, and members of indigenous and local communities and activists.

17.incremental (adjective)

English Meaning - gradual, step-by-step, phased.

18.Loss and Damage (noun)

English Meaning - The term ‘losses and damages’ refers to the economic and non-economic impacts of climate change, including extreme and slow onset events, in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. It’s destructive, irreversible, and cannot be addressed by mitigation and adaptation measures.

19.Loss and Damage (L&D) fund/compensation (noun)

English Meaning - it has been part of COP deliberations for over a decade, with calls by island nations and developing countries to establish a dedicated fund and a clear financing scheme to compensate countries that are bearing the brunt of climate-linked calamities. COP27 agrees to set up ‘L&D’ fund to compensate a section of developing countries for the damage already done by disasters linked to climate change.

20.draw to a close/an end (phrase)

English Meaning - to come to an end; to finish.

21.bear the brunt (phrase)

English Meaning - to suffer/get the worst (bad) part of some action.

22.train one’s guns on (phrase)

English Meaning - it (figuratively) means to give close (possibly hostile) attention to something; targeting someone/something.

23.bulk (of) (noun)

English Meaning - most, larger part, larger number.

24.historical (adjective)

English Meaning - of past events.

25.make good on something (phrase)

English Meaning - do what you say, keep a promise, fulfill an obligation/commitment.

26.movement (noun)

English Meaning - campaign, drive.

27.Vanuatu (proper noun)

English Meaning - an island nation (a group of more than 80 islands) in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and west of Fiji. It, previously known as the New Hebrides Islands, achieved independence from France and Britain in 1980.

28.Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) (noun)

English Meaning - Since 1990, AOSIS has represent the interests of the 39 small island and low-lying coastal developing states in international climate change, sustainable development negotiations and processes. AOSIS plays an integral role in carrying out advocacy for small island states and influencing international environmental policy. A priority area of advocacy for AOSIS has been global climate change and its detrimental socio-economic and environmental effects on small island states.

29.fruition (noun)

English Meaning - realization, achievement, accomplishment/completion.

30.vulnerable (adjective)

English Meaning - unprotected, ill-protected, endangered, unguarded; in jeopardy, at risk.

31.mitigation (noun)

English Meaning - moderation, reduction, decrease, eradication.

32.greenhouse gas (GHGs) (noun)

English Meaning - heat-trapping gas; a gas (such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) in the atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation, causing the greenhouse effect and warming of Earth’s temperature.

33.adaptation (noun)

English Meaning - alteration, modification, adjustment. (adjustments in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. It refers to changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change).

34.buffer (verb)

English Meaning - lessen, diminish, moderate, mitigate, reduce (a shock) or protects somebody/something against difficulties).

35.livelihood (noun)

English Meaning - means of making a living with the basic necessities (food, water, shelter and clothing); means of support, subsistence, source of income.

36.biodiversity (noun)

English Meaning - the existence of a number and variety of species (plants & animals) in a particular geographic region/environment.

37.broaden (verb)

English Meaning - widen, increase, enlarge.

38.text (noun)

English Meaning - point, issue, subject, topic.

39.set up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - create, start, begin, initiate.

40.nominal (adjective)

English Meaning - official, formal.

41.donate (verb)

English Meaning - pay up, give, contribute, fork out, shell out.