COP27 knocking, what has changed?

World leaders are set to gather in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from November 6-18 for the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The conference will bring together representatives from nearly 200 countries to discuss the global response to climate change.

COP27 takes place at a time when the world is facing an unprecedented climate crisis. Global temperatures having already risen by 1.1 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial era, and greenhouse gas emissions continuing to rise. The impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world, in form of extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and mass extinctions.At COP27, world leaders will be expected to make progress on a number of key issues, including:

Raising ambition on greenhouse gas emissions reductions: The Paris Agreement, which was adopted at COP21 in 2015, aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, current emissions trajectories are not on track to meet these goals. At COP27, world leaders will be expected to announce new and more ambitious emissions reduction targets.

Mobilizing finance for climate action: The developed world has committed to mobilizing $100 billion per year in climate finance for developing countries, but this goal has not yet been met. At COP27, developed countries will be expected to increase their climate finance commitments and to ensure that the money is used effectively to support developing countries in mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Accelerating the transition to clean energy: The world needs to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources as quickly as possible in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. At COP27, world leaders will be expected to announce new policies and investments to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Protecting vulnerable communities: With Climate change having a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable communities around the world, COP27 is expected to be a stage for announcement of  new measures to support these communities in adapting to the impacts of climate change.

The world is facing a climate crisis, and COP27 is an opportunity for world leaders to take the necessary action to address it. The success of the conference will depend on the willingness of all countries to work together to raise ambition, mobilize finance, accelerate the transition to clean energy, and protect vulnerable communities.

Resolutions from the Last COP

At COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021, world leaders agreed to a number of resolutions with some fulfilled and others not, including:

The Glasgow Climate Pact: The pact sets out a number of measures to accelerate climate action, including a commitment to phase out coal and end fossil fuel subsidies, calls on countries to strengthen their adaptation plans and to provide more support to developing countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change among others. The Glasgow Climate Pact is a significant step forward in the global effort to combat climate change. It is the first climate agreement to explicitly call for a reduction in coal usage, and it provides a clear roadmap for countries to strengthen their climate action. However, more work is needed to implement the commitments made in the pact and to raise ambition.

The Article 6 rulebook: This is a set of rules and guidelines that govern how countries can implement the carbon markets established under the Paris Agreement. The rulebook provides guidance on how countries can implement the carbon markets established under the Paris Agreement.

The Adaptation Communication Guidelines: These provide guidance on how countries can develop and implement adaptation plans to address the impacts of climate change. Adaptation communications are reports that countries submit under the Paris Agreement to outline their adaptation plans and priorities

These resolutions represent significant progress in the global effort to combat climate change. However, more work is needed to implement these commitments and to raise ambition. COP27 will be an important opportunity to assess progress and to take further action to address the climate crisis.