Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said that Sharm El-Sheikh is the first Egyptian city to know its way towards a green transformation. He added during the presidential session within the activities of the COP27 on Monday, that the world’s eyes and minds are directed to Sharm El-Sheikh to follow up on the conference and its results.
He pointed out that the fate of millions of people hangs on the conference, stressing the importance of creating a clean and sustainable environment and a climate more responsive to people’s requirements, and highlighted the need to provide favourable conditions for work and growth without harming the world’s resources, which must be developed, invested and made more sustainable.
“These questions must be answered before they are directed to us. Are we today closer to achieving our goals than a year ago? Have we been able during the past year to assume its responsibility in dealing with the most dangerous and impactful issues of the century?” he said. “The most important question is whether the goals we aspire to achieve fall within the scope of the possible, undoubtedly, it is not impossible, but if there is a real will and a sincere intention to promote joint climate action”.
Al-Sisi said that the results of the climate summit meetings must be translated into reality, expressing confidence that the participating leaders will respond to the concerns of people around the world, as they are suffering more than ever.
He pointed out that climate disasters are accelerating in pace and increasing their intensity in an unprecedented way in all parts of the planet on a daily basis, explaining that these disasters leave thousands of victims, injured and displaced people, and cause material losses in the billions.
The president further stressed that developing countries, especially in the African continent, should feel the response of the major industrialized countries to climate issues, as well as the provision of support and financing, in order to realize the principle of shared responsibility, What is reflected in the form of contentment and satisfaction; on the crises of climate change.
He added that the world has to deal with the impact of developing and least developed countries on climate crises; calling on the countries of the world to take into account the harm of those countries.
Moreover, the president suggested coming up with recommendations that would be translated into initiatives, as well as joining the activities that Egypt will launch throughout the summit. “You must direct your negotiators, who will participate in negotiations for two weeks on the sidelines of the climate summit; negotiators need to be patient and flexible,” he said.
He also noted that the time has come for action and implementation. “There is no room for retreat or invoking any challenges to justify this. Missing the opportunity is a waste of future youth among our children and grandchildren. We are at a fateful moment in the history of the planet, and I am confident that we are worthy of the responsibility.”
Furthermore, the president said that the financing of developing countries that suffer the most from the climate crisis must be committed. He added that the summit is called the “implementation summit”, and it is a goal around which all efforts should revolve.
The president pointed out that the world still faces many challenges, and there are factors that question the ability to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement and protect the planet from the risk of rising to 3 degrees.
Al-Sisi concluded his speech by calling on world leaders to work on ending the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and its consequences on the entire world.
