COP27
By Michelle Edid
Embedded Files
Conference of the Parties (COP) refers to the 197 nations part of the United Nations meeting to create a progressive framework to tackle and mitigate climate change. The conference initially began in 1992 and each year meets in a different country; this time around, in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, a luxury resort town by the Red Sea coast. Over 35,000 delegates are in attendance with leaders from 197 nations and some of history’s largest polluters; notably not in attendance are Xi Jinping of China, the world’s largest emitter, nor Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, whose war on Ukraine is financed by fossil fuel (New York Times, 2022).
Since last year’s COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, most nations have not kept the promises pledged. The major theme at COP26 was regarding the pandemic, climate justice, and creating a greater sense of urgency to speed up consistent temperature goals, and carbon budgets, and to reduce vulnerability to all nations. This year, Going into COP27, climate scientists have affirmed it is inevitable to reach the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold; ecosystems will continue to collapse, extreme weather changes will continue to escalate, and hunger will continue to destroy communities. The most commonly mentioned problem resulting from a 1.5-degree increase is the melting of ice caps. Melting ice leads to flooded cities and underdeveloped nations, both of which have limited room for infrastructure change. At this point, reaching pre-industrial temperatures is unrealistic. It is a matter of delaying the temperature change and understanding who is at risk, and how to mitigate the effects.
Rich (powerful) countries, such as the United States and China, produce about 80% of the world’s emissions every year, but the countries most affected by climate change and emission effects are the more impoverished countries, such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chad, and Pakistan (NPR, 2022). This year, the conference’s motives were unclear until the landmark deal on “loss and damage” were finalized. “Loss and Damage” is built on a previous proposal, the Warsaw International Mechanism, and will require wealthy nations to compensate more vulnerable nations for the effects of climate change; such as storms, rising sea levels, droughts, and heat waves. Additionally, stricter language regulations were established to reinforce greenhouse emission reduction which would lead to greater efforts in delaying the 1.5 Celsius threshold and diminish the use of coal across nations. Many nations did not agree with the phase-out of coal- like China and Saudi Arabia. China, although technically considered a developing country, is the largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, and claimed they should not be obligated to contribute funds for the “loss and damage” compensation, and argued historically wealthier countries should be at the frontline of compensation, such as the U.S. and the European Union. Additionally, Saudia Arabia admitted to their nation’s future of continued oil production but will invest in technologies to capture emissions and sequester carbon.
Attendance to COP27 is large but limited. For the most part, representatives of states and climate organizations are at the forefront of the conference. Organizations, both NGOs and intergovernmental organizations must be admitted by the COP through an approval process. Some universities, such as Cornell University and Indiana University, may register to attend and invite a selective group of students to listen in on public discussions, and the occasional intimate meetings. However, the approval process is lengthy and most American universities are yet to be granted permission for attendance. In attendance this year: Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s foreign minister, who took on the presidency role of COP27. To act as a diplomat for days on end, with thousands of people attempting, is no easy task.
He partnered with Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, and notoriously targeted the fossil fuel industry for its involvement in accelerating climate change, and his colleague, Simon Stiell, the UN’s climate chief. Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados, fought with David Malpass, leader of the World Bank, to develop a financial climate deal. Not surprisingly, but more performative, Joe Biden made an appearance at COP27 to converse with Chinese officials regarding methane emission reduction. A more detailed breakdown of COP27 leaders can be found here.
Looking ahead, the “loss and damage” fund will provide financial assistance to impoverished nations most affected by climate change. Language in future negotiations and deals will require clearer direction to phase out the use and future infrastructure of fossil fuels. The U.S. and China, as the world’s leading greenhouse emitters, will now resume formal climate conversations and will continue to invest in resilient infrastructure to mitigate climate change effects. COP28 will be in Dubai next November-December and is predicted to focus on more immediate changes to fight climate change and protect the Earth.
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