UNITED NATIONAL, 4 November (IPS) – The COP 27 climate summit is taking place amid political, economic and environmental upheaval, including abandoned emissions and funding targets. loss, rising pollution and climate devastation, rising global inflation, cuts in Western development aid and the negative consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The summit — the 27th Conference of Member States (COP27), scheduled for November 6-18 — is considered one of the largest annual meetings on action climate, this time in the Egyptian coastal town of Sharm el-Sheikh.
The Brussels-based United Nations Center for Constitutional Research (CUNCR) predicts that COP27 “will likely face empty promises and no action by most of the major states responsible for climate change.” climate change”.
In a message during the launch of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Adaptation Gap report released ahead of COP27, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “the world is failing to protect its children.” people from the current impacts of the climate crisis. “.
“Those on the front lines of the climate crisis are on the front lines for support. The world is falling far behind, both in halting the rise in greenhouse gas emissions and in initiating much-needed efforts, to plan, finance and implement adaptation amid growing risks. get a raise “.
He also pointed out that the need for adaptation in developing countries is expected to soar to $340 billion a year by 2030.
“However, today’s adaptation assistance accounts for less than a tenth of that amount. The most vulnerable people and communities are paying the price. This is unacceptable,” said Guterres.
Gadir Lavadenz, Global Coordinator, Global Campaign for Climate Justice (DCJ), told IPS COP 27 cannot be another example of how power has been usurped.
“It is outrageous to still see large corporations manipulate and dominate this process. Major polluters have a role to play in stopping polluting and not using climate COPs to wash up their actions. COP 27 must send a strong message to the world that the multilateral system can still play a role in the climate crisis.”
Lavadenz also points out that the $100 billion annual target is not only systematically dodged by developed countries, but it has proven insufficient to deal with the severity of the crisis. our climate and there is growing evidence of this.
“COP 27, unlike its predecessor, should steer clear of false solutions such as geoengineering, carbon offsetting, nature-based solutions and others and focus instead on issues that are likely to affect the most vulnerable countries and groups”.
Finance is not about cold numbers, it is about lives at risk in this very moment and no way to deal with a problem caused by the consumer culture of a particular small segment. rights in this world caused.
Lavadenz, Coordinator of a global network of more than 200 institutions, a regional and global network of climate advocates, stated: “COP 27 cannot be remembered as another meeting, but as a moment. Show progress and hope through real solutions. Justice.
Marking a new report from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters October 26 that countries are bending the development curve. reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, but the report highlights that these efforts are still not enough to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
The report found that current commitments would increase emissions by 10.6% by 2030, compared with 2010 levels.
This is seen as an improvement over last year’s assessment, which showed that countries are on track to increase their emissions by 13.7% by 2030, compared with 2010 levels, “but that’s still not the case. good news”.
According to a United Nations report last year, only 26 out of 193 countries agreed to ramp up their climate actions, pointing the Earth towards a future marked by climate catastrophe.
Meena Raman, Senior Researcher at Third World Network, a member organization of the Global Campaign for Climate Justice (DCJ), told IPS that the $100 billion target is supposed to be 100 billion. USD per year.
“This goal is not expected to come to fruition and is complicated by how climate finance is calculated.”
She points out that the definition of climate finance is itself an issue being addressed at the COP.
“As many developing countries are in dire straits, providing additional loans that need to be repaid is a huge problem for those in need.”
What is needed, she argues, are more grants to specifically address adaptation needs and funds to address loss and damage.
It is critical to meet the climate financing needs of developing countries through debt-free creation instruments, including through reforming and reallocating Special Drawing Rights in the form of loans. fully finance climate finance.
COP 27 is not a lost cause. Raman declares that now is the time to implement in real terms the commitments of the developed countries.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters last week: “When we were together at COP26, (in Scotland in October-November 2021), we made a statement, a statement of disqualification. eliminate or reduce methane by 30%. in 2030.”
“We are currently looking at most countries that commit to this. If everyone did this, this would equate to eliminating all vehicles, all ships, and all aircraft that currently exist in the world in terms of emissions. So we can have a real impact. We can do what is necessary to maintain the temperature increase by 1.5 degrees Celsius,” he stated.
Report of the United Nations Office IPS
By @IPSNewsUNBureau
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