SPARC at COP29

A lot of SPARC’s research looks at how to tackle the long-term drivers of crises, including climate disasters, in hard-to-reach or fragile contexts – places where people lack the institutions and support needed to anticipate, absorb or adapt to climate shocks, and where the state and international organisations do not always have a presence. 

In these contexts, building people’s climate resilience requires more than additional finance and support for climate mitigation and adaptation: it also entails cross-sector efforts to address the poverty, instability and conflict which make people vulnerable to climate impacts in the first place.

At COP28 in 2023, SPARC was listed as a key part of the UK government’s package of solutions for scaling up climate action in fragile and conflict-affected places. At COP29, we will continue to share our new research on a range of topics:

• how addressing long-term drivers of climate vulnerability – including water scarcity, food insecurity, and land degradation and restoration – can help fragile and conflict-affected countries in the drylands to build their climate resilience; 
• calculating losses and damages for countries across the Sahel and Greater Horn of Africa;
• understanding transboundary climate risks.

Events at COP29

SPARC partners the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Mercy Corps and ODI Global will be hosting a number of events related to pastoralism, livestock, and climate action in fragile and conflict-affected areas at COP29.

• Improving the practice of climate action in conflict and fragile settings. Thursday 14 November, 13:00-14:30, Climate, Peace and Transboundary Resilience Pavilion (Blue Zone, F17). This session, co-hosted by ODI Global alongside the World Bank and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of the Coalition for Climate Action in Conflict and Fragile Settings, will launch a new report showcasing solutions and ways to work in difficult environments.
• COP29 Peace, Relief and Recovery Day. Friday 15 November. ODI Global will be programming a full day of events related to climate finance and action in conflict settings, at the Climate, Peace and Transboundary Resilience Pavilion. The full schedule can be seen here. Separately, Mercy Corps will be hosting an event (Building Climate Resilience in Humanitarian Contexts. Friday 15 November, 09:00-10:00, Resilience Hub (Blue Zone, F5a)) which will showcase emerging lessons from actors working across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus on actions that can help build climate resilience in humanitarian contexts.   
• Adapting in adversity: the role of governance in climate adaptation. Monday 18 November, 09:00-10:30, Climate, Peace and Transboundary Resilience Pavilion (Blue Zone, F17). This event, hosted by Mercy Corps, will highlight perspectives from a range of stakeholders about the vicious cycle of climate change and fragility, and the role of good governance as a prerequisite for effective climate adaptation. 
• Transboundary climate, adaptation and mitigation risks in Africa: perspectives and regional cooperation. Tuesday 19 November, 10:30-12:30, Climate, Peace and Transboundary Resilience Pavilion (Blue Zone, F17). This event, co-hosted by ODI Global and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), will build on SPARC research and work on transboundary climate risks
• What ‘works’ at the intersection of conflict and climate? A regional perspective. Wednesday 20 November, 14:00-14:30. IGAD Pavilion (Blue Zone, I21). This panel, hosted by Mercy Corps, will focus on programme approaches which build resilience to conflict and climate across East Africa: an area where conflict and climate change are directly impacting livelihoods, especially those dependent on livestock.

SPARC partner ODI Global will be managing the Climate, Peace and Transboundary Pavilion and will be hosting a number of events with SPARC partners - including government representatives from countries including Chad, Somalia, Syria and Yemen and elsewhere - and building on SPARC’s work on climate action in drylands countries. All events will be livestreamed; you can find out more information here.