WITH its timing, topics, high-level and wide participation and meticulous preparations, the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) is duly set to emerge as a milestone in international action at the highest political, diplomatic and expert levels to deal with climate change. The conference, whose preparatory session kick-started in Sharm el-Sheikh yesterday, acquires special significance for countries the world over given that the phenomenon has caused wide and heightened concern as it hit various areas and regions, no matter what their economic rankings are or where they are geographically located. The severe weather conditions, floods, droughts and other manifestations of the negative effects of climate change that the world has experienced over the past year reassert the observation that climate change repercussions hit regions of the world indiscriminately that their intensity is aggravating and that their frequency is increasing. Taking this observation into consideration adds special value to the dialogue and debates that COP27 will feature and to the ensuing conclusions. Furthermore, the ongoing world food and energy crises invoke additional importance to the international consideration of the way ahead for climate action, especially given the scientifically established inter-relation between climate change, food and energy.
As a host and presidency of this year’s COP27, Egypt has actively sought to adopt all organizational, preparatory and logistical measures to facilitate the convening and work of the conference, together with a chain of intensive contacts and consultations with international parties to ensure the fructification of such a key assembly. Since last year’s Glasgow summit which decided that Egypt be the host and presidency of COP27, President Sisi has taken part in major international activities on climate change, the latest of which was the UN special roundtable co-convened by Egypt and the United Nations as part of the UN 77th General Assembly session.
The past year also saw Cairo maintaining extensive contacts with both the British presidency of COP26 and the secretariat of United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (UNFCCC), which has since its inception in 1994 served as the main forum for international negotiations on climate change. As noted by the UNFCCC, such contacts and consultations aimed to enable COP27 to build on previous successes and pave the way for future ambition to effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change. Simultaneously, Egypt took part in activities organised at the level of world regions in the lead up to Sharm el-Sheikh summit, to crystalise views on the future of world climate action. Of relevance to these political and diplomatic moves, Egypt has set out a series of initiatives to push forward the transition to green economy, including, to mention just two examples, the establishment of fund to support the growth of the electric car industry and the development of Sharm el-Sheikh, COP27’s venue, into a green city.
With such a background of the preparations made for COP27 and the concomitant global food and energy challenges, the summit’s task will indeed be crucial for defining the future path of international climate action. And the summit’s multiple dialogue activities would be instrumental in formulating the aspired vision especially since the conference’s agenda reflects due emphasis on adaptation policies, capacity-building, finance and the development and transfer of relevant technologies – the very matters that form the core of tangible action to overcome the adverse effects of global climate change.
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