23:15 The Round table on “Food Security” examined ways of coming together to collectively tackle the present and future of food security and find solutions in agriculture productivity, shift to resilient agriculture and ensure relevant measures are in place for sustained food security is crucial.
23:05 The Round table on “Just Transition” focused on examining social and economic aspects of climate-related transition plans, as well as finance and technology solutions.
22:50 The Round table on “Innovative Finance for Climate and Development” discussed the challenges related to obtaining financing for climate projects with a focus on exploring concrete innovative solutions.
22:25 Kenyan President William Ruto says that climate change is already a living nightmare for million of Africans. Even wildlife has not been spared.
"Carcasses of elephants, zebras, wildebeest and many other wild fauna litter our parks," he said, adding the government has spent $3 million on supplying feed and water to animals in distress in the last three months.
21:30 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urges against worldwide fossil fuel 'renaissance'.
"There must not be a worldwide renaissance of fossil fuels, and for Germany I can say: there will not be one," he said.
21:00 El-Sisi met with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of COP27.
20:45 UNDP Egypt installed a digital voting booth at the COP27 Green zone.
20:30 At least 15,000 people have died in Europe because of hot weather in 2022 so far with Spain and Germany among the worst-affected countries, according to the World Health Organization.
20:00 El-Sisi met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of COP27, says aspires to 'maximise' cooperation.
19:45 John Kerry has arrived in Sharm El-Sheikh.
19:30 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has arrived in Sharm El-Sheikh. He will be staying until the evening of November 8 to attend the COP27 climate conference. This is the Chancellor’s first official visit to Egypt since he took office in December 2021.
19:00 Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that the kingdom will contribute $2.5 billion to a green initiative in the Middle East over the next ten years.
His remarks came as part of a speech delivered at the second edition of the Green Middle East Initiative summit which was held on the sidelines of COP27.
El-Sisi concluded the summit by calling on leaders to honour the agreements reached at the Green Middle East Initiative Summit and to achieve the summit’s outcomes.
18:15 Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is also President of the African Union, called for pushing forward all climate change commitments, and said that the $100 billion pledge is no longer enough and should be raised to $200 billion.
Sall said COP27 is an opportunity to make a historical transformation.
“Even if Africa contributes less than 4 percent of greenhouse gases, it subscribes to frugal development of carbon, resilient to climate change, for a goal of carbon neutrality in a reasonable timeframe,” Sall said.
“We are for a green transition that is equitable and just, instead of decisions that jeopardise our development, including universal access to electricity to which 600 million Africans remain deprived.”
17:45 Egypt's Ministry of Culture celebrates the rich intangible cultural heritage of Egypt, including its traditional, environmentally-friendly handicrafts, through a number of cultural and musical events at COP27.
These events include "daily performances of a variety of dances, including Egyptian folk Sufi dance, Tannoura, and the ancient stick dance of Tahteeb,” according to Nahla Imam, the ministry’s heritage consultant and Egypt’s country representative at the 2003 Convention of Safeguarding the Intangible Heritage of UNESCO.
Imam added that the cultural events also include “performances of Semsemya songs and music as well as songs by a Sinai folk troupe and harp players.”
17:00 President El-Sisi held a meeting with Italy's new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the conference, where they discussed energy, the climate crisis, and irregular migration. El-Sisi also expressed his deep appreciation for the outstanding relations between the two countries.
16:10 “The growing destructive power of extreme weather events disproportionately affects poor and marginalized communities,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization.
"Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to lead to almost 250,000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress," the organization warns.
15:30 Small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia reeling from global warming impacts got a $1.4 billion philanthropic boost Monday to help them adapt to a world increasingly impacted by climate change.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant, distributed over four years, is earmarked for scaling up regional innovations that build resilience against drought, heat waves and extreme flooding amplified by a warming world, said an announcement at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Extreme weather has ravaged crops and reduced yields this year across four continents.
Organisations representing some 350 million family farmers, meanwhile, released an open letter to world leaders Monday warning that global food security is at risk unless governments boost finance for small-scale production, and calling for a shift from industrial agriculture toward more diverse, low-input methods.
15:00 Switching to greener energy sources would "reduce the risk of spikes in energy prices", European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said in a blog post on Monday afternoon following the opening of the UN's COP27 climate summit in Egypt.
"Surging energy prices have highlighted just how reliant we are on fossil fuels and how vulnerable this makes us," Lagarde said.
Switching to renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar, would lead to "lower and more stable inflation rates" and "make our economies work better", she said.
14:45 Four years after launching her "School Strike for the Climate", Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is ready to pass the baton to those on the front lines of climate change, she said in an interview on Monday.
"We should also listen to reports and experiences from people who are most affected by the climate crisis. It's time to hand over the megaphone to those who actually have stories to tell," the 19-year-old told Swedish news agency TT.
After urging the public in recent years to "listen to the science", Thunberg said the world now needed "new perspectives".
In the past four years, Thunberg's one-person strike outside the Swedish parliament has evolved into to a massive global movement engaging millions of youths and unleashing a torrent of debate on the dangers of climate change.
World leaders listen as their counterparts give speeches during the COP27 U.N. Climate Summit, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Monday, Nov. 7, 2022.
14:30 Barbados PM Mia Mottley addressed the World Leaders Summit, saying the global south remains at the mercy of the global north, stating that it is difficult for her country to get its hands on things like electric cars and batteries compared to others.
The global north borrows at interest rates between 1-4 percent, the global south at 14 percent.
"And then we wonder why the energy partnerships are not working," she said, adding that the world still looks too much like it did during the age of imperialism.
PM Mottley called for amendments to the Bretton Woods Agreement, which is the base of the collective international currency exchange regime based on the US dollar and gold.
14:20 "We have a credibility problem," the former Vice-President of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Al Gore said of developed countries while addressing the world leaders summit at COP27.
Gore said that while developed nations were talking and starting to act, they were not doing enough.
Referring to the increased appetite for natural gas, he said: "We have to see the dash for gas for what it really is, a dash down a bridge to nowhere, leaving the countries of the world facing climate chaos and billions in stranded assets, especially here in Africa," he said.
He also warned that pollution has reached outer space, with tons of waste having been detected.
Humanity has to choose between life and death, he added.
14:00 Director of London School of Economics and Political Science Baroness Minouche Shafik called for a "green industrial revolution" for a sustainable future economy, adding that allocating $4-6 trillion globally is needed annually.
The veteran economist called on development banks to deliver funds for developing nations three-fold, adding that the private sector must chip in too.
"Africa only emits about one percent of global carbon stock but is hit the hardest [by climate impacts]," she said, adding that many African countries are rich in sunshine and rainforests and can leave behind dirty energy sources.
Shafik also stated that a green industrial revolution could be Africa's new growth story.
13:45 President of Senegal and Chairman of the African Union Macky Sall, in a speech to the summit, said that the world is living with harsh climate phenomena and there is a need for urgent movement against climate change.
African countries are not responsible for more than four percent of greenhouse gas emissions, he said, adding that African countries support a fair and just green transformation given that there are still about 600 million Africans without electricity.
He added that the Congolian rainforests contain a quarter of the world’s remaining tropical forests and are a refuge of biodiversity.
The Senegalese present said that adaptation efforts should be supported by developed countries according to the previous pledges, noting that in September the AU launched the African Adaptation Summit to accelerate the process in Africa.
"I thank the European countries and partners for paying 80 million Euros for climate adaptation," he said, adding that the total amount allocated to climate adaptation through 2030 only represents a quarter of what is needed.
13:30 A short documentary about the impacts of climate change, including recent natural disasters such as drought, forest fires and floods, was screened at the summit.
Narration was provided in Arabic by veteran Egyptian actress Yosra and in English by the popular Egyptian actor Ahmed Amin.
13:25 President of United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose country will host the next COP in 2023, said the UAE will continue cooperation with the international community to face climate change and that COP28 would focus on implementing the outcomes of previous sessions.
13:15 "We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned global leaders at COP27's Implementation Summit.
The planet is fast approaching the tipping point that will make "climate chaos" irreversible, he added.
Humanity must "cooperate or perish” in the face of international crises that have battered economies and shaken international relations, he said.
"It is either a climate solidarity pact, or a collective suicide pact." Read more here.
12:50 President El-Sisi calls for an end to the Russian-Ukranian war. "We are ready to work to stop the war, not in search for a role, but I imagine that all leaders share the same opinion of the need to stop the war," the Egyptian president said.
"We as countries without a strong economy have suffered a lot from the ramifications of the coronavirus crisis for two years and we have endured it."
"And now we suffer because of the Russia-Ukraine war. The whole world is suffering,” El-Sisi added.
“I call in my name, and, if you allow me, in your names: Let this war end and. This is a call from our conference. Let this destruction and killing end,” the president added. Read more here.
12:33 Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is inaugurating the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit with the attendance of heads of state and prime ministers from across the world.
12:20 The Swiss embassy in Cairo tweeted photos of the Swiss delegation to COP27 bicycling through Sharm El-Sheikh to the second day of the conference.
12:15 UN Climate Champion for Egypt Mahmoud Mohieldin called for “fair and efficient” financing for climate action in developing countries, especially those in Africa.
Mohieldin made his remarks during a session about financing climate action on the second day of COP27.
"In a time when the world is suffering from the impacts of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, developing countries are asked to pay the cost of the climate crisis despite the fact that they did not contribute to it. This makes financing climate action in developing countries unfair considering the increasing number of countries that suffer from debt distress, according to the IMF and the World Bank," Mohieldin added.
12:10 UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi urged global leaders to curb the most devastating humanitarian consequences of the climate crisis and avert a catastrophic future for millions of displaced people.
“COP27 must equip countries and communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis to prepare for extreme weather, to adapt, and minimise the impact of the climate emergency,” said Grandi.
“We cannot leave millions of displaced people and their hosts to face the consequences of a changing climate alone,” he added.
Over 70 percent of the world’s refugees and displaced people come from the most climate-vulnerable countries including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria and Yemen
12:00 The Green Zone at COP27
A picture shows an artwork at the Green Zone during the COP27 climate summit at the Sharm El Sheikh International Convention Centre, in Egypt's Red Sea resort of the same name, on November 7, 2022.
A picture shows a view of an installation at the Green Zone during the COP27 climate summit at the Sharm El Sheikh International Convention Centre, in Egypt's Red Sea resort of the same name, on November 7, 2022
Participants walk in the Green Zone during the COP27 climate summit at the Sharm El Sheikh International Convention Centre, in Egypt's Red Sea resort of the same name, on November 7, 2022.
11:45 70 networks and organisations representing more than 350 million farmers, fishers, pastoralists and foresters published an open letter to world leaders today, warning that global food security is at risk unless governments boost adaptation finance for small-scale production and promote a shift to more diverse, low-input agriculture.
"The producers in our networks feed millions of people and support hundreds of thousands of jobs but they have reached a breaking point. There needs to be a massive boost in climate finance to ensure small-scale producers have the information, resources and training necessary to continue feeding the world for generations to come,” Elizabeth Nsimadala, president of Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, which represents 25 million food producers and is a signatory to the letter, said.
11:40 In statements to Egypt’s ExtraNews TV channel, spokesman for Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid said that COP27 is bringing together 62,000 participants, adding this figure is the largest number for any climate summit.
11:20 Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will deliver a keynote speech during the opening session of the high-level event for heads of state and government at the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh - Climate Implementation Summit - which will kick off in an hour.
President El-Sisi's speech will cover features of a roadmap toward a better future for the peoples of the world, according to the Egyptian state news agency MENA.
The speech will also tackle ways of turning international climate pledges into action, in addition to adopting tangible solutions to reduce carbon emissions and confront the adverse impact of climate change.
10:55 On Sunday, Xie Zhenhua, China’s special envoy for climate change, called at the start of the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh on wealthy nations to offer more support for developing countries that have the most to lose from climate change, the South China Morning Post reported.
"I hope the conference this time will meet the demands of developing countries as much as possible, as it is held in Egypt, a developing country," he said.
10:35 French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday urged the United States, China and other non-European rich nations ahead of COP27 talks to pay their fair share to help poorer countries deal with climate change.
"We need the United States and China to step up" on emissions cuts and financial aid, Macron told French and African climate campaigners on the sidelines of the COP27.
"Europeans are paying," he said. "We are the only ones paying."
"Pressure must be put on rich non-European countries, telling them, 'you have to pay your fair share'," he said.
09:55 President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres are receiving world leaders and high level guests arriving to attend the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit which will kick off at 12:15.
09:45 Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will inaugurate the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit at 12:15 with the attendance of heads of state and prime ministers.
09:35 World leaders at COP27 are expected to launch today - Day 2 of the COP27 - the International Drought Resilience Alliance.
The high-level event will be jointly launched by Spain and Senegal at 17:00-18:00.
According to the latest Drought in Numbers report compiled by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), droughts have increased in frequency by 29 percent since 2000, with some 55 million people affected every year.
Recent droughts in Australia, Europe, the western United States, Chile, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and southern Africa, show that no country is immune to drought.
In this file photo taken on August 8, 2022, a herd of sheep walk over cracked earth at al-Massira dam in Ouled Essi Masseoud village, some 140 kilometres (85 miles) south from Morocco s economic capital Casablanca, amidst the country s worst drought in at least four decades. AFP
09:25 On the first day of the COP27, loss and damage funding was introduced as an agenda item for the conference.
The issue of polluters paying for their climate messes is called loss and damage in international climate negotiations. It is all about reparations.
``Loss and damage is going to be the priority and the defining factor of whether or not COP27 succeeds,'' said Kenyan climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti, referring to the climate talks in Egypt .
United Nations top officials say they are looking for ``something meaningful in loss and damage`` and were ``certainly encouraged'' by negotiations Friday, Saturday and Sunday that put the issue on the meeting agenda.
09:05 Nearly 50 heads of states or governments on Monday will take the stage in the first day of ``high-level'' international climate talks in Egypt with more to come in the following days. Much of the focus will be on national leaders telling their stories of being devastated by climate disasters, culminating on Tuesday with a speech by Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Sharif, whose country's summer flood caused at least $40 billion in damage and displaced millions of people.
09:00 Several heads of states and governments are expected to arrive in Sharm El-Sheikh today to attend the COP27.
Day 2 - 7 November agenda
10:00-13:00 Mandated events and workshops-First part of the HLS, Presidency Events-Sharm el-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit.
13:00-15:00 Lunch
13:00-18:00 Mandated events and workshops-LCIPP Annual Youth Round Table Part I: Exchange amongst Indigenous youth and youth from local communities
13:00-14:30 Other high-level events-Adaptation event: findings relevant to assessing adaptation needs (WGII)
13:00-15:30 Other high-level events-GST Technical Dialogue Poster Launch session tbc
15:00-18:00 Mandated events and workshops- First part of the HLS, LCIPP Annual Youth Round Table Part I: Exchange amongst Indigenous youth and youth from local communities
16:00-19:00 Presidency Events GST Technical Dialogue World Café
18:00-20:00 Other high-level events -SBI-SBSTA special event on the gender-related aspects of IPCC AR6 (WGII and WGIII)
Relive:
COP27, Day 1: Loss and damage funding introduced as an agenda item (Click here).
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