Alok Sharma — President of the previous UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP26) — expressed his appreciation for the great efforts made by Egypt to host the COP27, stressing that there is an international consensus on the need for cooperation to confront climate change.
He noted in his speech during the opening procedural session of the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh that the UK exerted much effort during its presidency of the conference, pointing out that the COP26 was held under difficult political circumstances and amid the coronavirus pandemic that is still ongoing, but the leaders recognised that despite the differences — which are often deep — the need for cooperation in the field of the environment.
He also said that despite all this, the Glasgow Pact was signed, noting that with the help of all the participating states, the regulations of the Paris Agreement were decided on, and unprecedented progress was made in the field of fossil fuels.
“We have been able to make progress outside the negotiating rooms with commitments from business and finance to address climate change,” Sharma asserted.
He added that the participants also agreed on the need for support in the field of losses and damage and also pledged to increase funding, expressing his hope that this will lead to tangible progress in Egypt, recalling the agreement of all parties to reconsider the emission reduction targets by 2030 so that they meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
