Climate Ambition Support Alliance

The Climate Ambition Support Alliance (CASA), launched in 2019 as an initial three-year programme and funded by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), seeks to strengthen the capacity and support the engagement of climate-vulnerable countries in international climate negotiations.

Within CASA, Climate Analytics provides negotiation and related support to both the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) as well as the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) representing most of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The LDC Group represents 47 countries that are among the poorest and vulnerable countries in the world. AOSIS comprises a group of 44 small island and low-lying coastal developing states. Due to various reasons, such as detrimental socio-economic and geographical factors, these countries are hampered by resource and other constraints that can undermine the presentation of their interests in the climate negotiations and related international fora.

Climate Analytics works to address these constraints by providing legal, scientific, policy and diplomatic support to the Chairs of AOSIS and the LDC Group, as well as member countries from both groups. This includes, for example:

• supporting the mobilisation of increased climate ambition and implementation of the Paris Agreement through scientific and technical information relevant to the updating of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and strategic support for building political momentum
• providing training and capacity building for effective engagement at international climate negotiations, as well as real-time technical support at UNFCCC sessions and inter-sessional technical meetings
• providing technical papers, briefings and other knowledge products for AOSIS and LDC member countries on priority issues identified in consultation with the AOSIS and LDC Chairs, and
• improving organisational, institutional and coordination capacities of the groups.

Highlights from 2020

Covid-19 another shock for countries facing multiple crises

The coronavirus pandemic adds yet another shock to the multiple challenges that more than a billion people living in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) already face in day-to-day life. It is much more than a health crisis. It has the potential to create devastating health, social, economic and environmental crises that will leave a deep, long-lasting mark. However, it is an opportunity to adopt and implement sustainable solutions during the recovery process, also for LDCs, without losing sight of the climate crisis.

AOSIS Placencia Ambition Forum, 20-22 April 2020

The Placencia Ambition Forum, hosted by the Government of Belize as the Chair of AOSIS, with support of the UK Government (CASA) and Climate Analytics among others, brought together key actors in the climate change negotiations and enabled a platform of exchange around a central theme of increasing climate ambition and a focus on safeguarding the Paris Agreement. Participants highlighted the synergies between the disruption of COVID-19 and climate change, and how responses to the COVID-19 crisis can strengthen the case for more sustainable and ambitious climate action. In holding this three-day virtual event, the organisers lived up to the Forum motto of “keeping the drumbeat of ambition alive”.

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Highlights from 2019

Joint LDC/AOSIS event, 21 September 2019

Leading up to the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, the Chairs of AOSIS and the LDC Group met at a joint event in New York to share their expectations and priorities about the Summit. In a joint statement the two groups emphasized their common views in regards to climate ambition and their interest in amplifying and strengthening cooperation.

Press Release on LDC Website

Support at COP25, December 2019

The AOSIS and LDC support teams from Climate Analytics provided real-time support to the AOSIS and LDC Group Chairs and lead negotiators during the international climate negotiation session at COP25 in Madrid, in December 2019.

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