As world leaders, heads of business and civil society members arrive on the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh on November 6 for the United Nations Climate Conference (COP27), hopes are high that delegates will make real progress in the effort to prevent a climate catastrophe.
With global greenhouse gas emissions back to pre-pandemic levels and inflation and conflict dominating the international agenda, questions arise about whether a breakthrough is possible. Let us look at some of the expectations and where the progress is expected to be made.
COP 27
The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP27 – will build on the outcomes of COP26 to deliver action on an array of issues critical to tackling the climate emergency – from urgently reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience and adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change, to delivering on the commitments to finance climate action in developing countries.
EXPECTATIONS AT COP 27
The role of climate finance, adaptation ambition, and implementation will be central to discussions, along with tackling what negotiators call “loss and damage”, according to UNEP https://www.unep.org/ . Loss and damage refer to the consequences of the climate crisis that go beyond what people can adapt to or when options exist, but a community does not have the resources to use them. Examples include damage from cyclones or drought, or permanent damage from rising sea levels or the drying up of rivers, the UN agency said.
COMMITMENTS AT COP 27
At the conference, finance will play an important role. The participating parties are expected to review progress on the goal to channel 100 billion dollar a year to developing countries grappling with climate crisis, a pledge that was made in 2009 at COP15 in Copenhagen. A post-2025 finance goal is expected to be discussed. A number of bilateral and private sector agreements are also expected to be announced in order to enhance the implementation of climate action and to shift climate finance into the trillions.
HELPING COUNTRIES ADAPT TO CLIMATE CRISIS
A new UNEP report states that the world needs more than 300 bill climate ion dollar per year by 2030 to deal with the effects of climate crisis, which include droughts, rising seas and more severe storms. Adapting to the climate crisis will be an especially heavy burden for developing countries.
The parties are also expected to discuss the Global Goal on Adaptation. This was established under the Paris Agreement to build adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerability to the climate crisis so that the most vulnerable communities around the world can adapt.
WILL ANYTHING CONCRETE ARISE FROM THESE TALKS?
As is clear from rising greenhouse gas emissions and climate-induced disasters, there is a gap between promises and on-the-ground action. So it is expected that parties will make decisions in Egypt that support the rapid implementation of real climate action, the UNEP said.
