The United Nations climate change summit began in Egypt with a warning that the world is “sending a danger signal.”
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres responded to a United Nations research stating that the last eight years are on course to be the warmest in recorded history.
More than 120 international leaders are expected to attend the COP27 meeting at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
This will initiate two weeks of international climate action negotiations.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, president of COP27, urged countries not to let food and energy crises connected to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impede progress on climate change.
It is incumbent upon all of us in Sharm el-Sheikh to demonstrate our understanding of the gravity of the obstacles we confront and our determination to overcome them.
In its most recent report, the World Meteorological Organization of the United Nations highlighted the need for action.
In a video greeting to the conference, Mr. Guterres referred to the State of the Global Climatic Report 2022 as a “chronology of climate calamity.”
In it, experts predict that global temperatures have climbed 1.15 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times and that the last eight years are projected to be the warmest on record.
The research also warned of additional far-reaching effects of climate change, including the acceleration of sea level rise, record-breaking glacier mass losses, and record-breaking heat waves.
Given these findings, Mr. Guterres stated that COP27 must be the venue for urgent and credible climate action.
Monday will mark the beginning of COP27 in earnest with the World Leaders Summit, where heads of state and government will deliver five-minute statements detailing their goals for the conference.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak is likely to push international leaders to migrate to renewable energy “further and quicker.”
He will also warn leaders against “backsliding” on agreements made at the COP26 summit in Glasgow last year.
On Monday and Tuesday, world leaders will deliver speeches, and once they depart, conference delegates will begin negotiations.
At last year’s conference in Glasgow, several commitments were made:
- to “phase down” the usage of coal, one of the dirtiest fossil fuels.
- by 2030 to cease deforestation
- 30% reduction in methane emissions by 2030
- to present the UN with new climate action proposals
Developing nations, who are at the forefront of climate change, insist that earlier financial obligations be honored.
But they also want to address “loss and damage” funding – money to assist them to deal with the losses they are presently experiencing as a result of climate change, as opposed to just preparing for future repercussions. The issue is on the formal agenda of COP27 following extensive negotiations.
In addition to the formal negotiations, there will be hundreds of exhibitions, workshops, and cultural performances by youth, corporate groups, indigenous societies, academic institutions, artists, and fashion communities from across the world.
Normally boisterous demonstrations at COP conferences are expected to be restrained.
Since assuming office in 2014, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt has supervised a broad crackdown on the opposition. Rights groups estimate that there are as many as 60,000 political prisoners in the country, many of whom are jailed without trial.
Mr. Shoukry has stated that demonstration space will be made available in Sharm el-Sheikh. Egyptian activists informed that several local organizations were unable to register for the meeting.
