Article | COP 27 : The curtain of the stage has fallen, now what next? | Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh | Central Chronicle

Article

COP27 : The curtain of the stage has fallen, now what next?
-    Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh
Writer, Author & Social Activist
Blogger - "Climate Diary Of Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh"

Overall, Cope 27 ended with bittersweet results. While India is a country that fully represents third world countries, so ignoring India's proposal puts a question mark on the far reaching results of this conference. Few big and developed countries cannot decide the fate of developing countries on their own. This conference has left behind many such questions which need to be answered. Like how can the right results be achieved without involving third world public opinion? There has to be a plan that such efforts should not become mere political drama.

A 'non-paper' was released on the morning of November 17, 2022, during COP-27. In this, information received from different countries has been compiled, so that all the issues raised in this conference can be highlighted and decisions can be reached. This "non- paper" summarized the issues and consensus reached throughout the conference. Along with this, a guideline was also kept for how the action should proceed. It is notable that the cover decision of COP 26 in Glasgow, known as the Glasgow Climate Pact (GCP), made history for being the first COP decision to mention the term "fossil fuel". Fossil fuel means coal, oil, natural gas etc. The GCP issued in Glasgow was eight pages long. At the same time, this document released in Egypt was 20 pages. The document placed extensive sections on the energy crisis, the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the reports of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). As such it included a long, comprehensive list of suggestions covering many topics within and outside the scope of the UNFCCC. The draft highlighted the need for energy systems to be more secure, reliable and resilient with rapid changes. It was about energy security, which is also a major priority for most countries. The paper called for phasing out of coal based energy with a shift and tilt towards renewable energy. However, it appears to be diluting the GCP's words on fossil fuel subsidies.

Note that the Glasgow Climate Pact (GCP) called for a phase-out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. While this draft, released at COP 27, called for the "phasing out and rationalization of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies". Unfortunately, the draft also did not mention India's proposal to phase out all fossil fuels. In fact, the only reference to fossil fuels in the draft is in the context of rationalizing fossil fuel subsidies. This is a fact which makes this non paper weak. Because in the opinion of scientists, it is very important to eliminate fossil fuels to achieve the goal of 1.5 ° C. At the HOD meeting, parties from the G77 and China contended that the draft did not clarify the direction of travel of climate negotiations. At the same time, Bolivia said that the Paris Agreement should not be reinterpreted through this draft. He further said that the financial obligations of developed countries cannot be reduced.
COP 27 had some good and some weak sides. Financing or a new fund to address loss and compensation has been a long-pending demand of poor and developing countries, including India—for example, the money needed to relocate people displaced by floods—but rich countries have not responded for more than a decade. From time immemorial, it has been avoided to discuss it. Experts said it was surprising that calls for a phase-out of all fossil fuels did not find a place in the draft text, despite support from most developing countries and some developed countries, including the US and the European Union. The draft text on the Comprehensive Decision of COP27 puts a "placeholder" on the funding mechanism to address loss and damage, meaning that the parties have yet to reach consensus on the matter. It reaffirms that rapid and severe emissions cuts are needed to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. This includes reducing global carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent by 2030 relative to 2010 levels and reaching net zero emissions around the middle of the century.

The first formal draft of the UN climate summit agreement in Egypt published on 18 November 2022, once again omitting India's call for a phase-out of all fossil fuels and no provision on damage and compensation financing, offer not included. While India is a country that fully represents third world countries, so ignoring India's proposal puts a question mark on the far reaching results of this conference. Few big and developed countries cannot decide the fate of developing countries on their own.

The whole scenario of climate change is before us which cannot be taken lightly. The global average temperature of the Earth's surface is only one of the results of the overall energy imbalance. The excess energy affects weather systems and directly increases the number and intensity of many extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, floods, cyclonic storms, droughts, heat waves and wildfires. Weather events move energy and prevent the climate system from radiating energy out into space. This also leads to increase in global temperature. This study has also revealed that 93 percent of the excess heat from the balance goes to the Earth's oceans, which increases the temperature of the sea water level. That is why the year 2021 was the year with the warmest oceans so far. The global average temperature of the Earth's surface is only one of the results of the overall energy imbalance. The excess energy affects weather systems and directly increases the number and intensity of many extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, floods, cyclonic storms, droughts, heat waves and wildfires.

Overall, Cope 27 ended with bittersweet results. This conference has left behind many such questions which need to be answered. Like how can the right results be achieved without involving third world public opinion? There has to be a plan that such efforts should not become mere political drama. We are faced with an intimidating climate change scenario that cannot be taken lightly.
---------------------------------
(20.11.2022)

#climatechange  #MyClimateDiary #UNClimateChange #savetheeart

#DrMissSharadSingh #COP27  #cop27egypt #cop27sharm