The urgency of reaching a comprehensive agreement on climate action was emphasized by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who warned that we are currently experiencing a real-time collapse of the climate. Guterres also highlighted the prediction that 2023 will likely be the hottest year on record, which should alarm world leaders. The announcement of the 'loss and damage' fund received sustained applause at the conference, marking a significant step forward in addressing the impacts of climate-related weather events.

The decision to launch the fund was seen as a strategic move by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which had faced criticism prior to the COP28 summit due to leaked documents revealing plans to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations. By initiating the agreement on the loss and damage fund during the first session, the UAE demonstrated its commitment to addressing climate change and gained support from other countries. This fund aims to provide financial assistance for the destruction caused by storms and droughts, which has been a contentious issue for decades.

Last year at COP27, countries agreed to establish a fund for loss and damage, but discussions on the rules, location, and funding sources continued until just before the COP28 summit. Typically, such agreements are finalized at the end of the conference after intense negotiations. However, COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber successfully passed the motion without any opposition, declaring it a historic achievement. The UAE immediately pledged $100 million, and Germany also committed to contributing. The US announced a $17 million contribution, pending approval from Congress. It is important to note that countries' contributions to the fund do not imply acceptance of liability for historic emissions.

The UK also promised £60 million to the fund, which was seen as a positive step in the right direction by campaigners. However, they emphasized that this pledge is not enough and called for additional funding. Overall, the establishment of the loss and damage fund represents progress in addressing the financial needs of countries affected by climate change, but further action and funding are still required to fully address the issue.

Original news source: COP28: Poor countries win 30-year fight for climate cash (BBC)

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a slip of paper with a climate-related word or phrase from the article. One person from each team will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while their team tries to guess what it is. The team that guesses correctly earns a point. Repeat with different words or phrases.
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have students take turns summarizing the main points of the article. Encourage them to use their own words and keep their summaries concise. After each summary, discuss as a class to ensure everyone understands the key information.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Have students form pairs or small groups. Give each group a list of questions related to the article, such as "Do you think the creation of the loss and damage fund is an important step in addressing climate change?" or "Should countries be held liable for historic emissions?" Each student should take turns asking and answering the questions, discussing their opinions with their partner or group members.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Provide each student with a climate-related word or phrase from the article. Without speaking, they must draw a picture to represent the word or phrase on the board or on a piece of paper. The rest of the class must guess what it is based on the drawing. This activity can be done individually or in pairs.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. Assign one group to list the pros of launching the loss and damage fund, and the other group to list the cons. Give students time to brainstorm and then have each group present their lists to the class. Encourage a respectful discussion and debate on the different points raised.

Delegates at the COP28 ? summit have made a surprising decision to launch a fund to provide financial assistance to countries affected by climate-related storms and ?. This agreement, which is usually reached at the last minute after days of negotiations, was brought to the floor on the first day of the summit by COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber. The EU, UK, US, and other countries have already pledged around $400 million to support poor ? impacted by climate ?. This deal is expected to create momentum for a broader agreement on climate action during the summit. The urgency of reaching a comprehensive agreement on climate action was emphasized by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who warned that we are currently experiencing a real-time collapse of the climate. Guterres also highlighted the prediction that 2023 will likely be the hottest year on record, which should alarm world leaders. The announcement of the 'loss and damage' fund received sustained applause at the conference, marking a significant step forward in addressing the impacts of climate-related weather events. The decision to launch the fund was seen as a strategic move by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which had faced criticism prior to the COP28 summit due to leaked documents ? plans to discuss ? fuel ? with 15 nations. By ? the agreement on the loss and damage fund during the first session, the UAE demonstrated its commitment to addressing climate change and gained support from other countries. This fund aims to provide financial assistance for the destruction caused by storms and droughts, which has been a contentious issue for decades. Last year at ?, countries agreed to establish a fund for loss and damage, but discussions on the rules, location, and funding sources continued until just before the COP28 ?. Typically, such agreements are finalized at the end of the conference after intense ?. However, COP28 president ? al-Jaber successfully passed the motion without any opposition, declaring it a historic achievement. The UAE immediately pledged $100 million, and Germany also committed to contributing. The US announced a $17 million contribution, pending approval from Congress. It is important to note that countries' ? to the fund do not imply acceptance of liability for historic emissions. The UK also promised £60 million to the fund, which was seen as a positive step in the right ? by campaigners. However, they emphasized that this pledge is not enough and called for additional ?. Overall, the establishment of the loss and damage fund represents progress in addressing the financial needs of countries affected by climate change, but further ? and funding are still required to fully address the issue.

1. What is your opinion on the decision to launch a fund for countries affected by climate-related storms and droughts?
2. How would you feel if your country was impacted by climate change and received financial assistance from this fund?
3. Do you think $400 million is enough to support poor nations impacted by climate change? Why or why not?
4. How do you think the creation of this fund will impact the broader agreement on climate action during the summit?
5. What are your thoughts on the UN Secretary-General's warning about the real-time collapse of the climate?
6. How do you think world leaders should respond to the prediction that 2023 will likely be the hottest year on record?
7. Do you believe the announcement of the 'loss and damage' fund will effectively address the impacts of climate-related weather events? Why or why not?
8. What is your opinion on the strategic move by the UAE to initiate the agreement on the loss and damage fund during the first session of the summit?
9. How do you think the establishment of this fund will impact the discussions on fossil fuel deals with 15 nations?
10. Do you think it was a historic achievement for the COP28 president to pass the motion for the loss and damage fund without any opposition? Why or why not?
11. How do you feel about countries' contributions to the fund not implying acceptance of liability for historic emissions?
12. What is your opinion on the UK's pledge of £60 million to the fund? Do you think it is a positive step in the right direction?
13. How do you think additional funding can be secured for the loss and damage fund?
14. What further action do you believe is necessary to fully address the financial needs of countries affected by climate change?
15. How do you think the establishment of this fund will impact the perception of countries' commitment to addressing climate change?

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