Three women climate leaders share thoughts on UN climate conference
Climate Breakthrough
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As the United Nations climate conference ( COP27 - UN Climate Change Conference ) gets underway this week in Sharm El Sheikh in #Egypt, we spoke briefly to three brilliant Climate Breakthrough Award recipients on what the annual global gathering means for climate action. Tzeporah Berman , Sara Jane Ahmed ( SARA JANE A. ) and Nicole Rycroft work to mitigate #climatechange from three different angles—their responses showing the multifaceted nature of the #climatecrisis.?
Q: If any, what has been the most significant result coming out of COP meetings in the last ten years?
Tzeporah: The Paris Agreement.
Sara: The Paris Agreement.
Nicole: The Paris Agreement as a global commitment to a 1.5 degree Celsius pathway. I think [last year’s] COP26 was also instrumental in focusing on the importance of nature in mitigating climate change.
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. Adopted by 196 Parties at #COP21 in Paris in 2015 and entered into force a year later, its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
Q: What remains missing from the #COP27 agenda and/or COP themes in general?
Sara: New resource mobilization for adaptation, loss and damage, and a decisive shift away from fossil fuels.
Tzeporah: There are very few agreements, commitments or mechanisms to constrain the production of oil, gas and coal, and there are no agreements to ensure equity in pace and scale of fossil fuel phase out.
Q: What are some of the issues that must be addressed, or even resolved, at COP27 in Egypt?
Nicole: There are two critical items. First, financing conservation and clean energy production in the Global South—be it via debt for conservation swaps, an international fund from G20 nations and corporations. Two, credit for avoided emissions in addition to active mitigation/reduction.
Tzeporah: First, finance for loss and damage. Two, transparency and accountability and commitment to no expansion and phase out of fossil fuel in the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs). Three, increased ambition in governments’ post-2020 climate actions or NDC. And four, more countries should endorse a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Q: Outside of COP, what is the most promising development or progress in the fight against climate change within this year?
Sara: Economic cooperation between the V20 and G7.
Nicole: The debt for conservation idea has really gained traction this year—it'll be a game-changer for supporting the transition of conservation-based economies.
Tzeporah: The Vatican, WHO and now the first country, Vanuatu, all are calling for a Fossil Fuel Treaty!
Q: In contrast, what is the most challenging issue this year that has dealt a significant blow to the fight against the climate crisis?
Nicole: The war in Ukraine and inflation spike are certainly tightening the finance/investment market and having governments double down on fossil fuels as a medium term source of energy.
Tzeporah: The push for new gas projects and infrastructure in Europe, Canada, US, UK and especially across Africa as a result of energy security issues.
Sara: Loss and damage, and the lack of decisiveness to shift away from fossil fuels.