End of COP27: because those who expected nothing were right

The climate conference, which had been held in Egypt since November 6, ended two days later than scheduled on November 20. In our wildest dreams, we imagined that this delay was due to the relentlessness displayed by our leaders to find effective and lasting solutions to the climate catastrophe hanging in our face. The published results have finally shattered that fantasy, because apart from an economic effort to benefit poor countries, COP27 has not announced any new measures to curb global warming.

An agreement on “loss and damages”, the only good news … in the short term

The only notable progress of this conference: the agreement on “damages and damages”. Rich countries, the main polluters, have agreed to pay poor countries, the main victims of climate change, reparations for the damages suffered as a result of global warming. “This decision demonstrates that the appeal of vulnerable communities has finally been heard and above all that polluters will have to answer for their actions and pay. This is truly a giant step towards greater climate justice » exulted Fanny Petitbon, advocacy manager of the Care France association, Hon Info France.

Oil and gas: failure on fossil fuels

Giving money to poor countries to fix the nonsense of rich countries is fine, but making sure you don’t pollute more is better. And that’s the problem. No measures have been taken to prevent the situation in the countries of the South, and elsewhere, from worsening. Oil and gas are not yet explicitly named in the chapter on fossil fuels, which again only mentions coal. However, together, they are the main source of greenhouse gas emissions, driving global warming.

The climate will increase by 2.8°C by the end of the century

Speaking of global warming, the goal of not exceeding 1.5°C, taken during the Paris Agreements in 2015, has been renewed, but without new measures to achieve it. However, a few days before the opening of COP27, the UN had indicated that at present this objective would not be achieved and that the climate would increase by 2.8°C by the end of the century. Almost double. While the immobility of our leaders may be disappointing, it’s no surprise. At the end of this international meeting, the words of Greta Thunberg still resound. The Swedish activist had in fact announced that she would not go to Egypt, believing that the conferences “do not really have the aim of changing the system”, but “mainly serve as an opportunity for leaders and people in power to get attention, to all kinds of ‘greenwashing’.” At the Miglio Greta.

Cover image: Unsplash / Markus Spiske