Analysis of Sharm el-Sheikh COP27 Decisions

COP27 Outcome Analysis November 22, 2022

The Conference took place in a global geopolitical context defined by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine crisis and growing debt profile of African and other less developed countries. Decision CP27, adopted at the end of the Conference, acknowledged the impact of this “complex and challenging” geopolitics on energy, food and economic situations. It nonetheless underscored this was not enough reason for backtracking, backsliding or deprioritizing climate action.

African negotiators went to the Conference with clear expectations that reflected the special needs and circumstances of the continent. For example, they wanted, at a minimum:

• Discussions on Africa’s special needs and circumstances as granted in Article 4.1(e) of the UNFCCC: Such a move would have profoundly impacted talks and decisions, especially in prioritizing adaptation finance and aligning climate finance and technology transfer to the urgent needs of the continent.
• Increased ambition on climate finance, notably the doubling of adaptation finance, due to the continent’s high vulnerability: Amongst others, Africa also pushed for simpler procedures to access climate finance, which is partly responsible for the continent’s low share of climate finance, which stands at less than 3% today.
• Including loss and damage on the agenda and creating a facility to finance loss and damage
• A just transition approach that allows the continent to continue using its natural resources to accelerate development and growth

PACJA shared some of these demands. In addition, the Alliance called world leaders ahead of the Conference to make Sharm el-Sheikh and African people’s COP. PACJA wanted COP27 discussions and decisions to reflect Africans’ voices, needs and aspirations, guided by science and the climate justice principles at the heart of the UNFCCC.   Read More or download here