SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt
The United Nations climate conference, COP27, opened on Sunday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt with a stern warning by its executive secretary that he would not be a “custodian of backsliding” on the goal to slash greenhouse emissions 45 percent by 2030.
"We will be holding people to account, be they presidents, prime ministers, CEOs," said Simon Stiell, as the 13-day summit opened.
There are fears that not enough is being done to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above late-19th-century levels.
This past year has witnessed extreme weather disasters, killing thousands and displacing millions amidst calls for rich nations to compensate poor countries.
Giant flooding has devastated Pakistan, Nigeria, Chad and Senegal, as drought in the Horn of Africa and the western US has played havoc on food security.
Poorer countries are also suffering from the effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine, resulting in an energy shortage, inflation, and scarsity of staples such as cooking oil.
"The heart of implementation is everybody everywhere in the world every single day doing everything they possibly can to address the climate crisis," he said.
Findings released last week indicated that carbon pollution would increase 10 percent by 2030, as the Earth’s surface temperature would be raised by 2.8C.
Therefore, if all countries adhered to the 2015 Paris Agreement, the temperature would lower only a few tenths of a degree.
"Whilst I do understand that leaders around the world have faced competing priorities this year, we must be clear: as challenging as our current moment is, inaction is myopic and can only defer climate catastrophe," said Alok Sharma, British president of the previous COP26 as he handed over the chairmanship to Egypt.
The COP27 summit will make funding a major sticking point as the United States and European Union have moved slowly on their monetary promises, calling into question the need for a separate funding stream.
Both fear opening the door on never-ending climate reparations.
Loss and damages due to climate change was agreed on Sunday to be put on the COP27 agenda.
This "reflects a sense of solidarity and empathy for the suffering of the victims of climate induced disasters," said COP27 president Sameh Shoukry of Egypt.
"We all owe a debt of gratitude to activists and civil society organisations who have persistently demanded the space to discuss funding for loss and damage," he said to applause.
Shoukry doubled down in calling out rich nations for not delivering $100 billion a year to help developing countries make their economies greener and build resilience against climate change—and the fact that most climate financing is based on loans.
More than 120 world leaders are planning to attend the summit on Monday and Tuesday after the first day of talks ends Sunday.
China's Xi Jinping will not be attending, however. His leadership was renewed last month at a Communist Party Congress.
US President Joe Biden is slated to attend, but only after midterm elections on Tuesday.
US-China cooperation has been key at previous COPs, as the largest economies and biggest carbon polluters.
But relations have soured between the two powerhouses after House leader Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, and the US banned the sale of high-level chip technology to China.
Xi and Biden are planning to meet at the G20 summit in Bali days before the UN climate meeting ends. If the meeting actually happens, it could be a decisive one for both countries, and for the fight against climate change.
One positive addition at COP27 will be the arrival of Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Lula, as he is known, has been a protector of the Amazon and has said he will reverse the damaging extractive policies of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. - RFi
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