Reflections on COP27 - From Negotiations to Implementation

In this final post on our reflections on COP27,?Whitney Smith, Director of Sustainability with? Cosentini Associates ,?shares her perspective on the key messages from the conference.

With the backbone of the Paris Agreement established and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) underway, COP27 marks a shift into implementation with action guided by data and informed by equity. While its role as an international convener of multilateral negotiations on climate crisis remains, this recalibration is crucial with global emission reduction commitments falling short.

The focus reflects the urgency needed to reverse the upward trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions with a peak no later than 2025 to stay within reach of 1.5o C. This critical peak emissions milestone looms less than 3 years away. And while next year’s mandated Global Stocktake will reveal a bounty of data to analyze progress, the shortfall is already clear.

Throughout COP, speakers reiterated what the present data shows: as a global society, we are not moving fast enough to drive down emissions. The inequitable and dire effects produced by this chasm catapulted Loss and Damage onto the conference agenda and into the global spotlight. In UN Secretary-General?António Guterres’ remarks, he identified 3 critical areas for COP: ?

1. Responding to loss and damage
2. Closing the emissions gap
3. Delivering on finance.

Moreover, Guterres underscored the global expectation and scrutiny faced by the conference. “The world is watching,” he said “and there is a simple message to all of us: stand and deliver” on meaningful climate action.?

Working in the built environment, we recognize the industry-wide transformation that must occur to decarbonize and reverse its significant contribution to the climate emergency. Critical to our own success is collaboration, actionable data and, of course, advancing expeditiously.