The State of Palestine is among the low-emission countries facing significant impacts resulting from climate change. Given the Israeli occupation’s control over the borders, natural resources, and Palestinian land, and its control over import and export movement, the State of Palestine faces many obstacles that limit its independence in managing and implementing solutions that lead to mitigation and adaptation.
Believing in the urgent need to deal with the issue of climate change, the State of Palestine is committed to the path of decarbonization and calls for the need to find compensation mechanisms, not only for the sake of compensation, but to invest in a future that benefits everyone with sustainability and justice
The State of Palestine like other countries faces several challenges related to climate change that have significant impacts on its environment, society and economy. In its Fourth Assessment Report, the IPCC predicts that the southern and eastern Mediterranean will warm more than the global annual mean during the 21st century - between 2.2 and 5.1°C under a realistic emissions scenario (scenario A1B). Annual precipitation in the eastern Mediterranean is expected to decrease - by 10% by 2020 and 20% by 2050 - with an increased risk of summer droughts.
The State of Palestine also has limited capacity to address these challenges with the Israeli occupation being the most significant and unique political challenge. Restrictions applied by Israel on infrastructure projects, imports of equipment and materials, and use of land make especially in the Area C the development of RE and EE projects in Palestine complex, costly, and highly uncertain. Large PV investments are difficult to implement due to Israeli limitation access to land and grid limitations, which often result in competition for rooftop space for solar PV projects. Under the Emergency Status, the Gaza Strip has experienced long rolling blackouts of 12-16 hours prior to the recent Israeli hostilities, severely affecting water access and water treatment, health services and socio-economic development.
Despite these challenges, the State of Palestine has always recognized the importance of international cooperation in addressing the challenges of climate change. This recognition is evident in its participation and active engagement in various international climate change forums and initiatives, including previous COPs. The State of Palestine developed a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in 2010, which identifies the most urgent climate change adaptation needs and outlines the action plans to address them.
In addition, and since the development of its first Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2017, the State of Palestine has made significant progress in its climate action planning. For example, it has developed 14 investments ready NDC implementation action plans for six of the 12 most vulnerable sectors in Palestine identified in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP): agriculture, energy, health, transport, waste, and water.
In light of the above, the State of Palestine's participation in COP28 is of great importance as it provides an opportunity to raise awareness of its climate challenges and to build partnerships with other countries and organizations to secure support for its efforts. This framework is also crucial for advocating for a fair distribution of burdens and benefits in addressing climate change. Under the banner “Climate Rights Under Occupation”, the State of Palestine embraces the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and emphasize the urgent need to rectify historical imbalances by providing infrastructure and financial resources for effective adaptation and mitigation measures.