COP27 summit test for world leaders

Cairo, October 31

An international climate summit starting next week in Egypt will test the resolve of nations to combat global warming, as many of the biggest players are distracted by urgent crises ranging from war in Europe to rampant consumer inflation.

More than 30,000 delegates, including representatives from some 200 countries, will gather from November 6-18 in the seaside resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to hash out details around how to slow climate change and help those already feeling its impacts.

But with nations dealing with the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, along with soaring food and fuel prices and stuttering economic growth, questions loom over whether they will act quickly and ambitiously enough to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

The chill in relations this year between top greenhouse gas emitters China and the United States does not bode well, experts say. A United Nations report released last week showed most countries are lagging on their existing commitments to cut carbon output, with global greenhouse gas emissions on track to rise 10.6 per cent by 2030 compared with 2010 levels.

Scientists say emissions must drop 43 per cent by 2030 time to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial temperatures, the threshold above which climate change risks spinning out of control.

Only 24 of the nearly 200 countries attending the COP27 talks have submitted new or updated emissions-cutting plans since last year’s UN climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, even though all had committed to doing so, according to the UN climate agency.

A few countries, including Chile, Mexico and Turkey, are expected to release new plans during the Egypt conference, but it is unclear if any major developing economies like China and India will be among them.

“The chance for China to make another major move ahead of COP27 is low,” said Li Shuo, a Chinese expert at environmental group, Greenpeace, who is familiar with the government’s thinking. — Reuters

Rishi Sunak may attend meet

• Rishi Sunak could make a U-turn by going to the COP27 climate summit in Egypt
• Allies of Sunak told a newspaper his priority was ‘first and foremost’ domestic issues
• Sources said whether he goes ‘depends on the progress’ tackling the economic crisis
• Predecessor Boris Johnson is also considering going to the meeting