ANALYSIS
Dr. Arvind Kumar*
Set against a difficult geopolitical backdrop, COP27 resulted in countries delivering a package of decisions that reaffirmed their commitment to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The package also strengthened action by countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change, as well as boosting the support of finance, technology and capacity building needed by developing countries. Creating a specific fund for loss and damage marked an important point of progress, with the issue added to the official agenda and adopted for the first time at COP27.
The UN climate summit in Egypt concluded on Sunday with a landmark decision to establish a fund to address loss and damage, but the outcome on other crucial issues such as India’s call for phase down of all fossil fuels reflected little progress.
The climate talks this year were held in the shadow of the Russian aggression in Ukraine and the related energy crisis which has strained the capabilities of countries to urgently tackle climate change. The deal, even if not very convincing, will only reinforce the global resolve to fight climate change. For the first time in the 30 years to date of the United Nation’s climate convention, the agenda included the issue of Global North finance to help the Global South cope with escalating physical damage and economic losses from extreme climate.
REUTERS/Sayed Sheasha
Just before COP27 started at Sharm el-Sheikh, a resort town on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, it had taken 40-hours of lobbying by developing countries to get the vital issue on the agenda for the first time. Then, debate of the issue deadlocked COP until the EU proposed on Thursday a new finance facility. Lengthy negotiations ensued, with the US being the most important country to set aside on Saturday its long opposition to such a fund and support the facility. But, only the broadest outline was agreed. A committee with representatives from 24 countries will work over the next year to propose what form the fund should take, which countries should contribute, which countries will benefit from the fund and for what purposes.
However, deep skepticism remains among developing countries, given the failure of rich countries to fulfill the US$100 billion of climate finance rich countries promised their poor neighbours to win their support for the 2015 Paris Agreement.
India termed COP 27 “Historic” for securing an agreement on establishing a fund to address loss and damage due to climate change induced disasters, saying “the world has waited far too long for this.” “For India, there were many positives to be drawn from COP27. The most significant for us was the inclusion of sustainable lifestyle in the Sharm El Sheikh Implementation plan, Union Environment Minister, Shri Bhupender Yadav said. He also said that whilst establishing a work programme on climate action in agriculture and food security to reduce emissions, the responsibility shouldn’t be shifted to small-scale farmers.
COP27 was widely condemned, though, for failing to offer any strong language in support of 1.5C, the critical climate threshold for humanity. While realistic hope of reaching the target is all but exhausted, striving to get as close to it as possible remains imperative. Moreover, on fossil fuels COP27 merely cut-and-pasted words from COP26 in Glasgow last year about “phasing down” coal. Strenuous efforts to get all fossil fuels in the final agreement failed given strong opposition from major fossil fuel producing nations.
Moreover, key language was weakened in the final text, creating confusion and potential loopholes around “low emissions” energy being used alongside renewables. The hand of petro-states, that say their products are crucial contributors to the transition to clean energy, was feared to be the driver of the change. Some analysts said it could cause use of gas to accelerate even more, while also encouraging more development of fossil fuel projects.
At the start of COP27, the United Arab Emirates, hosts of COP28 in Dubai next year, stated its fossil fuel strategy. “The UAE is considered a responsible supplier of energy and it will continue playing this role for as long as the world is in need of oil and gas,” said its President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “Oil and gas in the UAE is among the least carbon intensive around the world and we will continue to focus on lowering carbon emissions emanating from this sector.” But that statement applies only to production. Emissions from using UAE oil and gas would be as copious as from any other source, far outweighing the production emissions.
In a statement after COP’s close, Climate Minister James Shaw said that global progress is slow, but right now we still have a choice about the future we want to build. Every tenth of a degree of global warming prevented matters; every tonne of pollution we cut makes a difference; every decision we take counts. Thus, it was up to countries to step up their own emissions cuts. At COP 27, we once again stood alongside our Pacific neighbours and pushed for greater ambition on emission cuts; a faster phase out of fossil fuels; joined-up action to cut climate pollution and protect nature; and more support to help countries adapt to, and cover the losses that will result from, a warmer world.
Among other subjects, the new carbon market rules – article 6 of the Paris Agreement – will likely be one of the most controversial and far reaching deals of the summit. Critics say it lacks transparency, allows questionable accounting practices, backtracks on human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, and locks in loopholes for polluting industries and countries to greenwash and delay greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
In terms of progress, though, this was the first COP for which climate ‘tipping points’ such as the melting of Greenland ice and Antarctic ice sheets has ever been mentioned in a COP cover decision text. The sentence is: “Recognizes the impact of climate change on the cryosphere and the need for further understanding of these impacts, including of tipping points.”
This COP was a difficult one held in context of intense repression of civil society when it should be self-evident that there can be no just and sustainable climate action without open civic space and the effective protection of defenders within the UNFCCC and far beyond. There was also an outrageous conflict of interest on display and overt corporate capture with the participation of a record number of fossil fuel lobbyists pushing for narrow, planet-wrecking interests over the needs of those most affected by the climate crisis, and shaping conference outcomes. We insist on kicking big polluters out of UNFCCC. This is essential as a starting point to resist corporate capture of climate policy-making, one of the biggest obstacles to advancing real solutions.
In terms of key outcomes, COP 27 was the first environmental negotiation process to include an explicit reference to the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. This was made possible due to sustained civil society advocacy and hopefully will support with strengthening environmental governance across the board. We take a moment to celebrate the gains made in loss and damage recognizing that the real fight lies ahead in translating initial steps into strong outcomes meaningful for those most affected by climate impacts. We also strongly call out the abysmal failure of Parties to make any significant collective progress on the phase out of all fossil fuels, despite 80+ countries supporting a call to phase out all fossil fuels. Loss and damage cannot be adequately addressed without tackling the root causes of the climate crisis. Continued addiction to fossil fuels will only see impacts worsening, leading to continued and devastating human rights harm. Therefore, in an overarching way we need to continue the collective struggle to center human rights and climate justice at the heart of all climate action.
The chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, Sir Molwyn Joseph, Environment Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said: “We have literally exhausted all of our efforts here at COP27 to bring home the climate action commitments our vulnerable people desperately need. Our ministers and negotiators have endured sleepless nights and endless days in an intense series of negotiations, determined to secure the establishment of a loss and damage response fund, keep 1.5C alive, and advance ambition on critical mitigation and adaptation plans. But after the pain comes the progress.
“Today, the international community has restored global faith in this critical process that is dedicated to ensuring no one is left behind. The agreements made at COP27 are a win for our entire world. We have shown those who have felt neglected that we hear you, we see you, and we are giving you the respect and care you deserve. Now we must solidify our ties across territories. We must work even harder to hold firm to the 1.5C warming limit, to operationalize the loss and damage fund, and continue to create a world that is safe, fair, and equitable for all.
Laurence Tubiana, one of the architects of the landmark Paris Agreement, said: “This COP caused deep frustrations but it wasn’t for nothing. It achieved a significant breakthrough for the most vulnerable countries. The loss and damage fund, a dream at COP26 last year, is on track to start running in 2023.”
There is a lot of work still to be done on the detail, but the principle is in place and that is a significant mindset shift as we deal with a world in which climate impacts cause profound loss. The influence of the fossil-fuel industry was found across the board. This Cop has weakened requirements around countries making new and more ambitious commitments. The text makes no mention of phasing out fossil-fuels and scant reference to science and the 1.5C target. The Egyptian presidency has produced a text that clearly protects oil and gas petrostates and the fossil-fuel industries. This trend cannot continue in the United Arab Emirates next year. Elsewhere in Sharm el-Sheikh, it was a silent and fearful COP for many activists. The legacy of those fighting for civic space and human rights will endure.
Ashok Sharma, the British Cabinet minister who chaired COP26 in Glasgow last year, said: “I promise you if we do not step up soon and rise above the minute to midnight battles to hold the line we will all be found wanting.” “Each of us will have to explain that to our citizens to the world’s most vulnerable countries and communities and ultimately to the children and grandchildren to whom many of us now go home.”
*President, India Water Foundation
