In an open letter to parties and observers at the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference tagged COP27 in Egypt, Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and COP27 President-designate, has said the conference will aim to restore the “grand bargain” at the centre of the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change adopted in 2015.
In the letter made public on Thursday ahead of COP27 which runs from November 6 to 18 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, Shoukry stated that, “We aim to restore the “grand bargain” at the centre of the Paris Agreement and our collective multilateral climate process – whereby developing countries agreed to increase their efforts to tackle a crisis for which they are far less responsible, in return for appropriate financial support and other means of implementation as per the agreement in the Convention and the Paris agreement.”
Calling for greater cooperation, the COP27 president said, “The climate crisis needs dedicated efforts by all, from heads of states and governments to young climate activists and advocates, from multinationals and major stakeholders to small community groups at local level.
“We as international community have agreed and recognized that the magnitude of the climate challenge requires an inclusive partnership and collaboration amongst all stakeholders to deliver the action we need now in a people-centred and an all of society approach that ensures that no one is left behind.
“As negotiators, we are here to transition from words to actions and to take meaningful and tangible steps to implement the robust system which we have painstakingly created including most recently in Glasgow– the Paris Agreement Work Programme – in a balanced manner.
“COP27 must launch implementation frameworks to bridge action under the formal obligations arising from inside the UNFCCC negotiating process. This must be coupled with relevant ambitious outside action undertaken by all actors, who are responding to the signals provided by the UNFCCC process.”
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
He explained that “the Sharm El Sheikh Implementation Summit will feature six roundtable discussions which will focus on enhancing implementation across six priority issues.
These roundtables will provide the opportunity for heads of state to engage with heads of UN agencies, multilateral development banks, CEOs of private institutions and representatives of civil society with the aim of developing practical, impactful and ambitious solutions to several of the climate challenges spanning mitigation, adaptation and finance.
“In addition, we want all stakeholders to make their voices heard, showcase solutions, and effectively engage in this critical global conversation on implementing climate action, with a strong focus on just transition.
“To this end, and in addition to ensuring contributions from all stakeholders in the development of all presidency initiatives and thematic day discussions, and in response to the request of all stakeholders we provided double the space provided in previous COPs for a multitude of activities, events and panel discussions.
We have also worked with our sisters and brothers in Africa to provide for the broadest possible participation of African and Egyptian NGOs, bringing the grassroot voices of the global south closer to the climate process and its parties.
and then