Countdown to the COP27 UN Climate Conference in Egypt

Aug 1st, 2022

COP27 Logo

Source: NJPN Environment Group

The National Justice and Peace Network Environment Group produced this Campaigning Paper on Climate Change for the July 2022 NJPN Annual Conference.

COP27 is due to take place in the coastal town of Sharm al-Sheikh, on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, from 7-18 November 2022. Alok Sharma MP, the Glasgow COP26 president from the UK, continues to play a key role up to COP27. It is very important that Churches speak up and hold the UK government to account for delivering and building on COP26 commitments at COP27. This is a key chance to avoid catastrophic climate change.

Climate change is a global environmental problem, and we have learnt that the UK Government is failing to do what is needed to comply with its obligations. The June 2022 Progress Report of the Climate Change Committee - the UK's independent advisor on tackling climate change - warned that "current programmes will not deliver Net Zero." Indeed, all governments should be concentrating on a rapid and massive reduction of carbon emissions to allow us to keep to the 1.5C recommended in the 2015 Paris Agreement and underlined at COP26.

Many hope that with Egypt hosting COP27 it will give a more powerful voice to African countries, which are among those most affected by climate change. However, the way in which the world responds to the climate emergency is crucial to all our futures. With the likelihood that countries will be asked at COP27 to ramp up their pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions within a year, instead of waiting another five, it is urgent that the UK steps up its domestic action before then to be in a position to commit more internationally.

Campaigning points in the countdown to COP27

One outcome of COP26 was the request for governments to 'revisit and strengthen' their 2030 national emission reduction targets (NDCs) before the end of 2022, rather than in 2025, as laid out in the Paris Agreement. Most of the world's biggest economies, and biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, including the UK, have yet to fulfil the pledges they made at Glasgow last November to strengthen their targets.
They must also accelerate energy transitions, phasing out fossil fuels. The UK must end fossil fuel production and create jobs in renewable energy rather than developing nuclear power further. The Churches are urging divestment from fossil fuels.
Richer countries have failed to deliver on their promise of $100 billion in annual climate finance, and this is actually insufficient to meet the adaptation and other needs of developing countries. Compensating countries in the Global South for the loss and damage caused to them by climate change is vital. Rich countries also need to find ways to compensate poor countries for not extracting more oil and gas.
International institutions must find a way to reduce the huge burden of mounting debt that inhibits many poor countries from tackling the climate crisis.
Protect forests, oceans and nature from pollution and large-scale extractive industries.
Military emissions to be included in carbon tallies. The world's militaries combined, and the industries that provide their equipment, are estimated to create 6% of all global emissions, according to Scientists for Global Responsibility.

Speaking at Chatham House in June 2022, COP26 President, Alok Sharma MP said:

"Unless we honour the promises made, to turn the commitments in the Glasgow Climate Pact into action, they will wither on the vine."

Alok Sharma MP at alok.sharma.mp@parliament.uk and contact your own MP

Further details at:

Climate Change Committee www.theccc.org.uk/

Climate Change Risk Asessment, September 2021: www.chathamhouse.org/2021/09/climate-change-risk-assessment-2021

Campaigns:

Details of a virtual walk from Glasgow to Sharm El- Sheikh, starting on 22 September 2022 www.walk2cop27.com/

CAFOD's Campaign on the Climate Crisis and the Livesimply Parish Award https://cafod.org.uk/Campaign/Climate-crisis and https://cafod.org.uk/Campaign/LiveSimply-award

Operation Noah's Bright Now campaign: Next global divestment announcement around COP27 in November 2022 https://brightnow.org.uk/

Christian Climate Action https://christianclimateaction.org/

Global Justice campaigns on 'Ending trade rules that block climate action' and 'Stopping funding fossil fuels' www.globaljustice.org.uk/our-campaigns/climate/

Campaigning with Friends of the Earth https://takeclimateaction.uk/