Leaders call for increased action over climate after COP27 deal
Alok Sharma has warned that hopes of limiting global warming to 1.5C is “on life support”, after negotiators secured a lastminute deal at COP27 in Egypt.
The UK Government representative at the conference and the outgoing COP26 president criticised elements of the deal, in his speech at the closing plenary session of the UN climate summit. While he said that progress on loss and damage has been “historic”, he warned that it was not a moment for “unqualified celebration”.
Officials and negotiators agreed a deal in the early hours of yesterday that will create a fund for compensating poor nations that are victims of extreme weather worsened by rich countries’ carbon pollution.
It is a big win for poorer nations which have long called for cash because they are often the victims of climate worsened floods, droughts, heat waves, famines and storms despite having contributed little to the pollution that heats up the globe.
But Mr Sharma said the deal did not go far enough, as he told the closing session: “Many of us came here to safeguard the outcomes that we secured in Glasgow, and to go further still.
“In our attempts to do that, we have had a series of very challenging conversations over the past few days. Indeed those of us who came to Egypt to keep 1.5 degrees alive, and to respect what every single one of us agreed to in Glasgow, have had to fight relentlessly
to hold the line. “We have had to battle to build on one of the key achievements of glasgow .”
Mr Sharma’s speech, delivered after what appeared to be fraught and last-minute efforts to broker a consensus, pointed out the gaps in the agreement.
“We joined with many parties to propose a number of measures that would have contributed to this. Emissions peaking before 2025, as the science tells us is necessary. Not in this text. Clear follow-through on the phase down of coal. Not in this text.
“A clear commitment to phase out all fossil fuels. Not in this text. And the energy text, weakened, in the final minutes.”
He continued: “Friends, I said in Glasgow that the pulse of 1.5 degrees was weak. Unfortunately, it remains on life support. And all of us need to look ourselves in the mirror, and consider if we have fully risen to that challenge over the past two weeks.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who attended the global climatesummit earlier this month after originally deciding not to attend, said “more must be done” to tackle climate change.
He said: “Keeping the 1.5 degrees commitment alive is vital to the future of our planet. More must be done.”
First minister ni cola sturgeon hailed the agreement to establish a fund for loss and damage as “truly groundbreaking” but hit out at the lack of progress.
She said: “COP27 has finally seen an acknowledgement by developed countries that the people least responsible for global warming are the ones suffering its worst consequences and that we have an obligationto support those experiencing the impact soft he climate crisis in the here and now.
“The agreement to establish a fund for loss and damage is truly groundbreaking and is a testament to 30 years of hard campaigning by the global south and civil society.
“I am pleased that scotland, in being the first developed country ever to make a financial contribution,has been able to play a small part in that journey working with others over the last 12 months to build the momentum that has led to today's decision.”
While she stressed “there remains a lot of detail to be worked out”, Ms Sturgeon insisted that by agreeing to set up such a fund, the summit had “delivered a real breakthrough for vulnerable and developing countries”.
However, the First Minister added: “It is deeply disappointing that the recognition of loss and damage has not been matched by greater action to prevent a worsening of the climate crisis.
“Keeping 1.5 alive and delivering the fastest possible transitionaway from fossil fuels is key to preventing greater loss and damage in the future.
“Alongside loss and damage, we needed to see progress on adaptation and mitigation, on the submission of new national contributions, a pathway to 2030 and a strengthening of the language of the Glasgow Pact.
“It is simply not good enough that countries failed to make progress on that agenda, and that there has been such a strong push back on action we all know is needed if 1.5 is to remain truly within reach.
“It is vitally important that countries re commit themselves to doing everything they can to ensure we keep 1.5 alive and to building a coalition ahead of Cop28 that protects and drives progress against any further push back.”
Scottish Greens climate spokesperson Mark Ruskell said the Cop27 agreement was "far too little and far too late".
He stated: "There has been one step forward on loss and damages but two steps back on oil and gas. After decades of denial, the first meaningful step has been taken to support those who are suffering the most, although actual funds remain largely empty.
"However, the lack of any 'phase out' or even a 'phase down' of all fossil fuels means that ultimately COP27 will be remembered as yet another monumental failure."
The slogan of “keeping 1.5 alive” dominated discussions at the summit in Glasgow last year, as Mr Sharma and the UK steered efforts to limit global warming.
The target comes from the Paris Agreement, the global treaty on climate change negotiated in 2015, where there was a strong and ultimately successful push by nations such as low lying islands to include the 1.5 C target in the deal because they felt letting temperatures go any higher would threaten their survival.
Governments and experts will now closely consider what the deal means in the fight against climate change.
Yesterday, many campaigners praised the breakthrough on the loss and damage fund, which according to the agreement will initially draw on contributions from developed countries and other private and public sources such as international financial institutions.
But it came alongside warnings that time was running out to curb global warming.
Mary Church, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government too must turn its climate leadership on the international stage into concrete actions at home to get back on track to meeting its climate targets.
“It must clarify its position on oil and gas and set an end date for fossil fuels within this decade in order to have any chance of delivering on our fair share of climate action.”
Friends of the Earth’s international climate campaigner Rachel Kennerley said: “Wealthy countries must now support the setting up of this fund – and crucially its financing – to ensure it reaches the frontline communities hardest hit by the climate crisis.”