The UN climate conference (COP27) this Sunday adopted two main texts: a final statement and a resolution on compensation for the damage caused by climate change to vulnerable countries.
The work of this conference was supposed to end on Friday, but was initially extended until Saturday, when an agreement was reached on the final statement project and agreement, with the approval taking place only in the early hours of this Sunday.
In the final statement, and with regard to emissions reductions, it emphasizes the urgent need for immediate, deep, rapid and sustainable reductions in global emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.
With regard to targets to limit warming, the COP27 final statement reaffirms the Paris Agreement’s target of keeping the average temperature increase below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and the continued efforts to to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C.
It also recalls that the impact of climate change will be much smaller with an increase of 1.5°C than with an increase of 2°C and decides to continue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C .
On the energy chapter, the statement agreed by almost 200 delegations calls for “the acceleration of efforts to phase out the use of ‘carbon (CO2) without capture’ and to eliminate ineffective fossil fuel subsidies abolish “the accelerating clean and equitable transitions to renewable energy”.
Many countries wanted to mention reducing the use of oil and gas and not just subsidies.
A year to make recommendations
The other agreement that came out of this COP27 was the resolution on offsets, which decides to make new agreements to create funds to support developing countries in dealing with the damage caused by climate change, including providing and helping to mobilize new and additional resources.
In this context, it was decided to set up an intervention fund in case of loss and damage.
A “Transitional Commission” was also set up, responsible for the operating rules of these new facilities, including the Fund. In particular, it will have to determine who the taxpayers will be. The committee will have to make recommendations “for consideration and approval” at COP28, to be held in late 2023.
Guterres and the disillusionment of the EU
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday lamented the lack of ambition of the 27th UN Conference on Climate Change (COP27) with regard to reducing emissions.
“We need to drastically reduce emissions [de gases com efeito de estufa] now — and that’s a question this COP hasn’t answered,” Guterres said after the climate conference.
The Vice-President of the European Commission also said that the negotiations fell short of what was needed, stressing that “a very short step for the inhabitants of the planet” had been taken.
“It does not provide enough extra effort on the part of the big emitters to increase and accelerate their emission reductions,” said Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of the European Commission, in an impassioned speech at the last plenary session of COP27, after two weeks of the conference in Egypt.
Germany also believed that the results achieved at COP27, in Egypt, are a mixture of “hope and frustration”.
“We have made a breakthrough on climate justice – with a broad coalition of states after years of stagnation,” Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a post on the social network Twitter, quoted by AFP.
But, the minister warned, “the world is losing valuable time on the 1.5 degree trajectory” due to the lack of ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Environmentalists wanted more
The organizations Zero and Oikos this Sunday praised the fund’s advance to finance the climate damage of vulnerable countries, which they classify as “historic” but believe that the reduction in emissions “falls far short of what is needed”.
During this COP27, the main topics on the table revolved around Loss and Damage, Mitigation, Adaptation and Climate Financing.
“In none of them has this COP fully met,” the organizations said in a joint statement, saying the discussions were marked by continued calls and demands for greater ambition and climate justice, culminating positively in an agreement to establish a Fund for Losses and Damage.
However, they regret that “the final text does not reflect the need to phase out all fossil fuels, an essential condition to ensure no more than 1.5°C warming compared to the pre-industrial era”.
“Critical aspects of mitigation were not included in Sharm El Sheikh’s implementation plan and no progress is being made with regard to Glasgow, such as ensuring emissions peak before 2025, the need for more ambitious targets from all countries, or phasing out or phasing out of fossil fuels.” fuels,” they point out.
For the organizations present at COP27 in Egypt, failure to adhere to these premises means, they say, “all climate finance corresponds to money that may slow our speed a bit, but put us on the ‘highway to hell'”.
In his view, it is essential to capitalize on the momentum created around climate justice, and now turn the fight to “the tough task” to achieve better results on these fronts at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.
They point out that this conference had “the peculiarity” of being held on the African continent during a particularly difficult year in terms of natural disasters exacerbated by climate change.
According to the organizations, the plan “recognizes the relevant role of protecting, conserving and restoring nature and ecosystems”, but believe that in the field of energy “the reference to renewable energy sources falls short of what is desirable, paving the way for modes of production unsustainable”.
“Unfortunately, this COP27 and all the countries that participated in it were also not up to par and did not know how to defend the future of humanity in the face of the interests of the major oil and gas companies. Countries, more than 600 fossil fuel lobbyists fuels,” they note in the statement.
Compliments to Portugal
ZERO and Oikos positively emphasize Portugal’s readiness to “play a more active and predominant role at the next climate summits”, including availability for political coordination of topics under discussion, as well as the responsibility to be physically present at the sites by a Portuguese Pavilion.
They also “are pleased” to note that Portugal has announced a contribution of €1 million to the Adaptation Fund, on top of the €4 million included in the remaining climate finance for mitigation and adaptation.
ZERO and Oikos believe that these amounts should be revised upwards and advocate joint work with the government to look at criteria that underpin a justified and balanced value for Portugal.
Source: DN
