Workstream 1: Strategic Guidance & Convergence
Guide the integration of Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance solutions in global climate change and resilience frameworks
The Partnership`s High-Level Consultative Group
Setting the InsuResilience Global Partnership’s strategic path in challenging times – the High-Level Consultative Group’s response
On 15 September 2020, the High-Level Consultative Group (HLCG) – the highest governing body of the Partnership – came together for the third time to assess progress over the past year. The 19 HLCG members set an important strategic direction for the Partnership at the virtual meeting. This specifically took into account the lessons learned from the Covid-19 crisis. The pandemic has induced a global shift in thinking and revealed the need for more pre-emptive actions. This is particularly necessary in the case of compounded risks. Although the HLCG recognizes and acknowledges the importance of maintaining the Partnership’s mandate to focus on climate and disaster-related risks, it is taking a renewed look at the specific situation when pandemic and other overlapping risks are combined concurrently with climate risks. The HLCG also endorsed that risk finance should be integrated into national resilience and adaptation efforts. In 2021, the Partnership will take concrete steps together with the NDC Partnership, and other partners and members, based on five Action Areas. The related Policy Note highlights the continuous need to support vulnerable countries in enhancing their resilience efforts and accompanying investments.
The HLCG also adopted the Declaration on Gender thereby recognizing the importance of integrating gender-responsiveness within the Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) Framework. The InsuResilience Gender Working Group developed the Declaration. The Working Group is co-chaired by CARE International and Canada. Patricia Fuller, Canada’s representative in the HLCG and the country’s climate ambassador, emphasized that the purpose of the document is to signal to the international community that Partnership Members intend to prioritize the gender dimensions within their respective areas of work.
“Hard-fought development gains are being undermined or reversed by climate risks, and the current pandemic further increases vulnerable communities’ hardship by creating compounded risks. We are using these challenging times to turn challenges into solutions and to see the challenges as a chance for further strengthening our Partnership.”
Dr. Maria Flachsbarth, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, HLCG Co-Chair
“Covid-19 has shown how exposed our economies are to extreme external shocks. […] We must start building resilience now as the frequency and intensity of climate-induced disasters grows worse over time and will make us even more vulnerable. If we fail to mobilize investment in preparedness and resilience, we leave hundreds of millions of people and our economies in extreme danger.”
Mr. Alfred Alfred Jr., Minister of Finance of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, HLCG Co-Chair
In the meeting, the updated governance charter has been approved. It is the guiding document for the structure, functioning and role of the Partnership. The preamble now includes references to the Vision 2025 as well as the pro-poor principles that have been developed by the Partnership. Furthermore, updates to the composition, nomination and voting procedures of HLCG membership were made with a view to strengthen the future role of the HLCG.
At the third HLCG meeting the members stood together and joined forces to realign the Partnership to build back better or even to ‘build better forward’.
The mission is always focused on improving the resilience of poor and vulnerable people. The Partnership has shown its ability to turn challenges into solutions and to see those challenges as an opportunity to progress the Partnership and develop it further.
The strategic adjustments in terms of systemic risks and the mandate to enhance support for gender responsiveness allow the Partnership to better achieve the goals of Vision 2025 and build resilience in cooperation with the V20.
After the meeting in September 2021, the members of the Partnership were invited to select their representatives in the HLCG for 2021-2022. This is a process that includes consultation through stakeholder groups to re-compose the HLCG. Germany has been confirmed for a second two-year-term as co-chair, while RMI will remain co-chair for a third year to allow for a staggered rotation.
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“With a severe drought having hit Madagascar at the end of 2019, people were already suffering from climate catastrophes, and now they are also facing the impacts of the pandemic: In the south especially, people who were dependent on migrating to other regions to provide for their families in the dry season, were not able to do so with the containment measures. In some particularly remote areas, seeds were consumed as food by the population as it was in shortage due to a poor harvest.”