COP27 is litmus test for governments to tackle climate change: Experts

New Delhi: As the climate conference COP27 is approaching, the representatives of various countries are anxious about the outcome of the summit and called it “the number one litmus test” for governments to tackle the growing climate toll on the most vulnerable countries.

Holding a per-consultation meeting to finalize the agenda for the COP27 climate conference in Egypt in Sharm el-Shaikh, the official underscored the importance of COP27 and warned that the collective commitments of G20 leading industrialized nations governments are coming “far too little, and far too late”.

Speaking to the reporters United Nations Chief António Guterre said that the work ahead is “as immense as the climate impacts we are seeing around the world”.

“climate chaos gallops ahead, climate action has stalled,” he added.

“The actions of the wealthiest developed and emerging economies simply don’t add up.,” he said, pointing out that current pledges and policies are “shutting the door” on limiting global temperature to 2°C, let alone meet the 1.5°C goal.

“This week’s pre-COP can determine how this crucial issue will be handled in Sharm el-Shaikh,” he said, noting that the world needs clarity from developed countries on the delivery of their $100 billion pledge to support climate action in developing countries.

The Secretary-General chief upheld that by showing up at COP27 in Sharm el-Shaikh, all countries – led by the G-20 – can demonstrate that “climate action truly is the top global priority that it must be”.
“The world can’t wait,” he spelled out. “Emissions are at an all-time high and rising”.

In November 2022, the Government of Egypt will host the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27), with a view to building on previous successes and paving the way for future ambition to effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change.

Meanwhile in Kinshasa, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed warned environment ministers and others that the window of opportunity to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis is closing.

She stressed that greater support for climate adaptation in developing countries “must be a global priority”, particularly progress on adaptation finance.

Ms. Mohammed recalled that at last year’s COP26 conference in Glasgow, developed nations had promised to double adaptation support to $40 billion dollars a year by 2025.  

The UN deputy chief called for a clear roadmap on how the funding will be delivered, starting this year.

She added that $40 billion is “only a fraction of the $300 billion that will be needed annually by developing countries for adaptation by 2030”.
Ms. Mohammed underscored that the world “desperately needs hope”.

“We need progress…that shows that leaders fully comprehend the scale of the emergency we face and the value of COP, as a space where world leaders come together to solve problems and take responsibility,” she said.