SDG 13 | climate action
Climate NGOs criticize the lack of ambition of rich countries in the COP27 negotiations
The provisional numbers of participants in COP27 indicate that a total of 33,449 participants have passed through the Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt) pavilions, of which just over a third are delegates of the parties or, perhaps, we should put ‘delegates’ in quotation marks. ‘. “It is shameful that the CEO of BP is registered as a member of the official delegation of Mauritania,” denounces Pedro Zorrilla, representative of Spain in the international Greenpeace delegation. “So how is it going to get rid of oil?” he wonders.
It is not the only emissary of the parties, as the countries are called, at these climate summits. In the
provisional list United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) there are more representatives from the world of oil and gas. “This is not the end of fossil fuels,” repeats the spokesman for the environmental NGO.
Precisely, the prohibition of these fuels has been on the table in the COP27 negotiations or, at least, its reduction. An initiative raised by India, seconded by the European Union, but ‘forgotten’ by the Egyptian presidency. “Rich countries do not commit to take the necessary steps to stop climate change,” Greenpeace highlights. “There is not a single mention of reducing the use of fossil fuels,” adds Pedro Zorrilla.
At the Glasgow summit, the pact that bears the name of this Scottish city pointed to coal as one of the causes of climate change. In this new period of sessions “there has been no progress”, warn the NGOs present at the meetings.
In each of the meetings, and also outside of them, India has pressed for Sharm el-Sheikh to point out, in addition to coal, also oil and gas. A speech supported by the European Union, but which has not been reflected in the official or unofficial texts proposed by the Egyptian presidency. “The presence of fossil fuel lobbies at this summit is outrageous,” says Zorrilla.
Lobbying groups, in addition to having a presence in country delegations, are one of the most numerous in the corridors of Sharm el-Sheikh. Accredited people related to the world of oil, gas, or coal amount to 636, according to the NGO Global Witness. “Tobacco lobbyists would not be welcome at health conferences, arms dealers cannot promote their trade at peace conventions,” they add.
climate pessimism
With the official counter already at zero and extra time running, the clash between blocks continues when it comes to reaching an agreement. The reduction of emissions, climate ambition and the financing of loss and damage have been the points of friction between blocks. Good intentions, interesting proposals and a lot of talk: “But, as long as we continue in the hands of fossil power, this cannot be fixed,” warns Zorrilla.
“As long as we remain in the hands of fossil power, this cannot be fixed”
Pedro Zorrilla
representative of Spain in the international Greenpeace delegation at COP27
While waiting to reach an agreement, the mood among the activists is not very positive, although “we will have to see if it is a failure when everything is over”, highlights the Greenpeace delegate. “Lack of ambition, climate ambition,” he adds.
In these dozen days of meetings, the work proposals have been put on the table, but without much success: “There is hardly any progress,” denounced the envoys of Ecologistas en Acción at COP27. Mitigation programs and the creation of a specific fund to deal with losses and damages are the major points of conflict. “This year we are talking about money, because it is the African COP and it is time to talk about it, but next time it is time to review the climate plans of the countries that we already know are not enough,” warns Zorrilla.
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