meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Cop28 boosts coastal community climate role

12 December 2023

Of the $83.9bn in funding commitments made during the first 11 days of the Cop28 UN climate summit, $467m has been allocated to local climate action, in addition to $134m for adaptation, $129m for least-developed countries and $30bn for climate finance.  

The Loss and Damage Fund has also attracted commitments of over $720m, with more expected to come.

These financial commitments will benefit local communities globally that have been taking the brunt of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts.

"The Cop28 summit in Dubai has recognised that the success of nearly all agreed climate measures and funding will depend on local and sub-national government implementation," says Alfredo Coro II, mayor of Del Carmen municipality in the Philippines' southern Siargao Islands.

Coro attended the Local Climate Action Summit, which was organised as part of the Cop28 conference.

"We recognise [former New York City mayor] Michael Bloomberg's role in pushing for mayors to be at the forefront of discussions on climate change actions, policies and funding," Coro tells MEED.

"We hope our network… will be able to attract global organisations to listen and respect the innovations of small coastal communities to address climate change impact on oceans and support sustainable fishing, as well as coastal management."  

Coro also represents the Costal500, an alliance of mayors and other local government leaders from countries including Brazil, the Federated State of Micronesia, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Mozambique, Palau and the Philippines.

The Coastal500 alliance aims to serve as a platform for scaling climate adaptation and climate solutions in small local communities around the world.

"The local governments implement the climate action and they also absorb all the loss and damages," says Coro. "Recognising local governments in Cop28 will … play a major role in the discussions of operationalising the Loss and Damage Fund, from global finances to national government funds."

A total of 200 countries agreed to set up the Loss and Damage Fund at Cop27 last year, nearly 30 years since it was first discussed at a Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (Cop).

Cop28 announced operationalising the fund on 30 November, with the UAE and Germany each pledging $100m towards the fund; the UK pledging $75m; and the US, which has previously pushed back on the fund, planning to contribute $17.5m.

France and Italy each pledged $108m, Denmark pledged $50m, Norway committed $25m, and Japan and China each pledged $10m. 

According to Coro, the Coastal500 members have already proven case studies that, when replicated, will be able to help mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change on a family and community level.

He cites as an example an integrated climate adaptation and mitigation strategy in his municipality. "We rehabilitated our mangrove ecosystem and conducted investments to prepare our communities and local government," he explains.

These helped to minimise the loss of life when super typhoon Rai made landfall in the Siargao Islands in December 2021. However, the typhoon heavily damaged the islands' Climate Field School, which was funded by a climate adaptation fund in the Philippines.

"We hope that localising the policies and practices will give local governments the courage to demand the needed access to financing potential loss and damages that have direct consequences to their respective constituency and community," Coro says.

Drop in the ocean

The final mechanisms for the Loss and Damage Fund have yet to be finalised. It remains unclear whether the funds will be disbursed as loans or grants.

Unlike climate mitigation and adaptation projects that aim to reduce carbon emissions and improve community responses to extreme weather events, the Loss and Damage Fund intends to help communities that have already suffered losses such as flood-damaged bridges or dams and agricultural crop revenues.

Rich, carbon-emitting countries are the expected main sources of the fund, although China, the world's top carbon emitter, which is a developing country, could technically qualify both as a source and recipient of the fund.

While operationalisng the fund has been considered a breakthrough, some critics have said that the pledges so far amount to only 0.2 per cent of what is needed to address the problem.

"The millions promised for the Loss and Damage Fund at Cop28 are a drop in the ocean of what is needed," notes Lien Vandamme, a senior campaigner at the Centre for International Environmental Law.

“Hundreds of billions of public, grants-based, new and additional money is needed, and we cannot call this Loss and Damage Fund a success as long as this is lacking,” she added.

Mena extreme weather

Several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region have recently suffered major calamities that can be directly linked to climate change. 

Thousands of people were feared to have drowned when a storm swept through Derna in eastern Libya on 11 September. Heavy rains from Storm Daniel caused a water dam about 12 kilometres from Derna to fail, sending water down a valley and overwhelming a second dam closer to the city.

The storm was called a Medicane – a portmanteau for Mediterranean and hurricane – which experts said drew enormous energy from extremely warm seawater. A warmer atmosphere is also understood to hold more water vapour that can fall as rain.

Photo: Pixabay

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11363941/main.jpg
Jennifer Aguinaldo

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Populous wins Bahrain Sports City contract

    21 April 2026

     

    US-based engineering firm Populous has won a BD5m ($13.5m) contract for the Sports City development at Sakhir in Bahrain.

    The contract was awarded by Bahrain’s Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning.

    The scope covers pre-contract consultancy services, including finalising the masterplan and internal infrastructure, completing phase 1A design works and preparing tender documents.

    Populous is a specialist sports venue designer that formerly operated as part of HOK Group.

    The contract was first tendered in 2021, when Populous emerged as the sole bidder.

    At the time, it was reported that Sports City would include Bahrain’s largest sports stadium and a multi-purpose indoor sports arena.

    The project is expected to provide renewed impetus to Bahrain’s construction and transport sector, which has struggled in recent years, with the total value of awarded contracts falling for a third consecutive year.

    According to regional project tracker MEED Projects, about $400m-worth of contracts had been awarded in Bahrain by the end of October last year – less than half the $1.2bn recorded during the same period the previous year.

    The sector has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Before 2020, Bahrain consistently awarded more than $2bn in contracts annually, peaking at nearly $4bn in 2016.

    Bahrain’s construction industry is forecast to record average annual growth of 4.9% in 2026-29, supported by investments in transport infrastructure and renewable energy projects aligned with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030.

    Vision 2030 includes the BD11.3bn ($30bn) Strategic Projects Plan, unveiled in October 2021, encompassing 22 national infrastructure projects. It also includes plans to create five new cities by 2030: Fasht Al-Jarm, Suhaila Island, Fasht Al-Azem, Bahrain Bay and the Hawar Islands.

    Growth over the forecast period is also expected to be driven by investments under the National Renewable Energy Action Plan, which targets a 30% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035, compared to 2015 levels, and aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

    READ THE APRIL 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the April 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16487784/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Entries now open for MEED Projects Awards 2026

    21 April 2026

    Enter the awards

    The MEED Projects Awards in association with Mashreq 2026 have officially opened for entries, inviting companies, developers, contractors and project teams to submit their projects for the region’s most prestigious construction awards.

    For over 15 years, the MEED Projects Awards have celebrated the Middle East and North Africa’s most ambitious and transformative projects, recognising technical excellence, innovation, sustainability and delivery impact. Past editions have highlighted landmark developments that set new benchmarks for the region’s built environment, including internationally recognised projects such as Burj Khalifa and Louvre Abu Dhabi.

    “The MEED Projects Awards are the gold standard for recognising outstanding achievements in construction across Mena, showcasing the region’s technical and design excellence while bringing the industry together to celebrate and connect over the very best projects of the year,” said Ed James, head of content and research at MEED.

    “As a long-standing partner of the MEED Projects Awards, Mashreq is proud to support a programme that is recognised for its independence, credibility and industry impact. These awards celebrate projects that set benchmarks for excellence and contribute meaningfully to the region’s development,” said Arun Mathur, executive vice-president and global head of contracting finance at Mashreq.

    Winners are chosen through a rigorous, independent judging process, led by a panel of more than 50 senior industry experts representing developers, contractors, engineers and project specialists. The awards celebrate projects across a wide range of sectors, including Building, Transport, Energy, Water, Healthcare, Education, Hospitality, Culture, Industrial, Power, Small Projects and Developments.

    Being shortlisted or winning a MEED Projects Award places a project among the region’s elite, offering regional recognition, global exposure and industry credibility.

    Submissions are now open, with full category details and entry guidelines available on the official entry platform.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16487756/main.gif
    MEED Editorial
  • Work advances on Saudi Maaden mine renewables project

    21 April 2026

     

    Local contractor Arabian Qudra Company is advancing construction works on an integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (bess) project at the Al-Baitha bauxite mine in Saudi Arabia.

    The off-grid facility will integrate an 8MWp solar PV array with a 30MWh bess, allowing the mine to operate almost entirely on renewable energy.

    Emerge, a joint venture of Masdar and EDF Power Solutions, is developing the project, including managing financing, design, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance.

    Last August, MEED reported that Maaden Bauxite & Alumina Company (MBAC), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden), had signed a 30-year power purchase agreement with Emerge to supply its Al-Baitha bauxite mine with renewable energy.

    Arabian Qudra Company was subsequently appointed as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, with works beginning at the start of 2026.

    The firm is a subsidiary of Abunayyan Holding Company, a privately owned Saudi industrial group.

    The project is expected to generate around 17,300MWh of electricity annually and provide a continuous 24/7 power supply. It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 13,800 tonnes a year.

    According to projects tracker MEED Projects, construction is expected to be completed in early 2028.

    Maaden Solar 1

    Maaden is also in the early stages of developing Maaden Solar 1, potentially the world’s largest solar process heat plant. 

    MEED previously reported that US-based GlassPoint had partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment as a first step towards construction of the planned $1.5bn project.

    In 2025, Spain-headquartered Cox Energy signed a collaboration agreement with the client to participate in the project. The client had been expected to invest approximately $31.1m in the first phase of the project.

    Once complete, Maaden Solar 1 will be a 1,500 megawatt-thermal (MWth) facility. A timeline for the project remains unclear, with construction not expected to begin until at least 2027.

    READ THE APRIL 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the April 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16487404/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Egypt to build Olympic Village project on Red Sea

    21 April 2026

    Egypt has moved to back a major new sports development on the Red Sea coast, officially assigning a 225-acre plot for a planned Olympic Village in the Red Sea Governorate.

    The site is located opposite the resort destination of El-Gouna, giving the project access to an established tourism corridor.

    The development is intended to strengthen Egypt’s ambition to become a hub for international sports tourism, with facilities designed to support large-scale regional and global championships.

    Plans include stadiums and purpose-built arenas designed to meet Olympic-level requirements, enabling the complex to accommodate multiple sports and event formats.

    To support visiting delegations and spectators, the Olympic Village is expected to include on-site hospitality facilities, including a hotel.

    The project is intended to operate as an integrated, self-contained destination capable of staging regional and international tournaments, while also leveraging the Red Sea’s year-round appeal for camps, friendlies and seasonal training programmes.

    According to UK analytics firm GlobalData, Egypt’s residential construction sector is expected to grow by 8.3% from 2026 to 2029, supported by investments in the housing sector and the government’s focus on addressing the country’s growing housing deficit amid a rising population.

    The commercial construction sector is expected to register real-term growth of 6.6% in 2026-29, supported by a rebound in the tourism and hospitality markets and an improvement in investment in office buildings and wholesale and retail trade activities.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16485900/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Algeria launches oil and gas licensing round

    21 April 2026

    Algeria has launched a new bid round offering seven exploration blocks to international companies.

    The round was launched by the National Agency for the Valorisation of Hydrocarbon Resources (Alnaft), which manages and regulates the upstream oil and gas sector in the country.

    The blocks are located in the regions of Ouargla, Illizi, Touggourt and El-Bayadh. Both oil and gas assets are included.

    The blocks on offer are:

    • Est Bordj Omar Driss 1
    • Illizi Centre 1
    • El-M’Zaid Nord
    • El-Borma 2
    • El-Hadjira 3
    • El-Benoud Est
    • Touggourt Sud

    Technical evaluation of bids will cover exploration, development and production optimisation plans.

    All bids – except those for Est Bordj Omar Driss 1– will also be assessed against financial criteria, including the bidder’s participation rate in financing upstream operations.

    Successful bidders will access the assets through contracts with Sonatrach, either via production service agreements or participation agreements, depending on the block.

    Algeria is currently seeing an uptick in demand for its gas exports due to the disruption to exports from Qatar and the UAE in the wake of the US and Israel’s attack on Iran on 28 February.

    READ THE APRIL 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the April 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16478927/main.png
    Wil Crisp