Jose Octavio Tripp, ambassador of Mexico 

In logistical terms, Egypt has implemented a world-class effort to transform Sharm El-Sheikh into a spectacular, intelligent and environmentally friendly city in a brief period. Sharm will be a clear example of the Egyptian commitment to the green cause.

The adverse effects of climate change threaten the exercise of fundamental human rights: access to a healthy environment, health, food, drinking water, adequate housing, education, and culture, as well as the right to self-development and life. With this awareness, the inseparable link between the protection of human rights and action against climate change is becoming increasingly evident. 

 

Ambassador Christian Berger, head of the European Union delegation to Egypt

The EU is committed to keeping the 1.5 C target within reach, calling upon all parties, particularly major emitters, to increase their short- and long-term ambition, enhance climate action, and increase international climate finance mobilisation. The EU reaffirms its leadership and ambition in committing to 2050 climate neutrality and a net domestic reduction of at least 55 per cent in GHG emissions by 2030.

As the world’s largest contributors of climate finance, the EU and its member states are constantly working to strengthen support and increase transparency with other developed countries in both meeting the $100 billion target and doubling adaptation finance.

 

Hong Jen Wook, ambassador of South Korea 

Extreme weather, such as heat waves, wildfires, floods, droughts, and so on, observed all around the world, reminds us that the international community must accelerate efforts to address climate change, especially in the midst of energy and food security crises caused by the Ukraine war. In this year’s COP27, we need to achieve balanced progress in the area of adaptation of climate change and expect to have constructive discussions on loss and damage, the agenda in which developing countries are much interested. 

 

Antonio Patriota, ambassador of Brazil 

Regarding financing, the negotiations to establish a new collective quantitative goal (NCQG) stand out. The new target will replace the $100 billion that developed countries had pledged, in 2009, to mobilise annually by 2025 – a target that has never been met. Brazil defends that any new goal must be consistent with the considerable funding needs, considering the bold and urgent goals of the climate change regime.

Also, at COP27, the future of the agriculture dialogue under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will also be discussed. Brazil advocates that the dialogue must continue to focus on the sector’s vulnerability to the impact of climate change and the need for resilience.

 

Hilde Klemetsdal, ambassador of Norway 

The Norwegian government honours its commitment to double its climate finance to 14 billion Norwegian kroner for developing countries by 2026, and as part of this, to triple its funding for climate adaptation and resilience during the same timeframe. In 2020, Norway was one of seven countries to contribute its “fair share” of global climate finance, and the top country in terms of “fair share” commitments up to 2025.

 

Dominic Goh, ambassador of Singapore 

Singapore is a low lying island state. We are directly impacted by increased rainfall, temperature and sea level rise. We have played an active role in the UNFCCC negotiations. At COP26 last year, Singapore and Norway co-chaired negotiations that concluded the carbon trading rules under Article 6. As part of our contributions towards reducing carbon emissions, we have met our 2020 goal of reducing carbon emissions by 32 per cent below business-as-usual levels.

 

Manuela Franco, ambassador of Portugal

The path to peace and development must be built on policies that aim at establishing carbon neutral societies, resilient to the impact of climate change, with an efficient, circular and sustainable management of their resources…It is essential to continue to guide our action in an informed way by the latest scientific knowledge, incorporating the progress of science and innovation in policy responses.

 

Lutfi Rauf, ambassador of Indonesia

We have a commitment to make this event successful, from our side as participants. Our focus in COP27, as well as the presidency of Egypt, is to have concrete implementation. Our focus in COP27 is to conclude with applicable outcomes, not only pledges, which would support developing countries, especially in Africa.

 

Sajid Bilal, ambassador of Pakistan

Climate change has now become an existential threat to Pakistan as the country has consistently been placed in the top 10 ‘most vulnerable countries’. The economic costs from the combined impact of the disaster-climate-health nexus show that Pakistan will have the highest losses at 9.1 per cent of GDP. Pakistan became a nerve centre of climate-induced disasters in the year 2022.

Pakistan’s adaptation needs, as communicated by NDCs, are $14 billion per annum until 2050. There is an urgency to make substantial progress on the Glasgow-Sharm El-Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation. As climate-induced disasters and the impact of slow onset events have enhanced, the need for finance to make Pakistani society resilient has grown exponentially. 

In transitioning to a climate-resilient economy, Pakistan needs to be backed by international climate financing. It is estimated that the transition to renewable energy will cost Pakistan $101 billion by 2030 plus an additional $65 billion by 2040. Pakistan expresses a deep concern that the climate finance committed by developed countries for mitigation consists largely of loans rather than grants. It requests reaffirmation from the developed countries to support actions to advance climate action without exacerbating the existing debt crisis.

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*A version of this article appears in print in the 3 November, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.