World leaders and diplomats framed the fight against global warming as a battle for human survival during opening speeches at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt on Monday.
Diplomat Times (Sharm El-Sheikh) – On the inauguration of the Climate Implementation Summit, more than 100 World Leaders gathered at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt to work towards implementation of existing climate agreements.
World leaders were welcomed by Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Secretary General of the UN Antonio Guterres.
The summit kicked off with an opening plenary opened by H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi which featured a range of other prominent speakers from heads of state to climate leaders who delivered messages on the importance of urgent action to address climate change.
A big event is all about the guest list. While the ‘who’s in, who’s out’ speculation around COP27 can feel like a distraction from its all-important mission, there’s good reason why we’re so invested in our leaders going.
Simply put, the summit is not just a chance to ramp up commitments on climate change – the biggest issue of our times. It’s also diplomacy on a grand scale, giving leaders the opportunity to address the geopolitical challenges that are holding back climate action and progress in various other areas.
More than 100 heads of state have confirmed their attendance at Sharm el-Sheikh next week, according to the latest statement from Egyptian authorities. But leaders and representatives of more than 190 countries – all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – are expected in total.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed and President Abdel Fattah El Sisi witnessed the signing of an agreement between UAE’s Masdar and Egypt’s Infinity Power and Hassan Allam Utilities to develop a 10-gigawatt onshore wind project.
More than 120 world leaders are expected to attend Cop27 in Sharm El Sheikh.
This year, the summit will be focusing on four areas of the climate crisis: mitigation, adaptation, finance, and collaboration.
Cop26, which took place last year in the Scottish city of Glasgow, resulted in the Glasgow Pact, which committed participants to lower carbon emissions.
Greece eyes role as Europe’s green power hub
Greece wants to become a net exporter of renewable electricity to the rest of Europe, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
The nation is backing a plan to build cables that will bring green power to Europe via the country from Egypt and the Middle East. If such a project is successful, it would go some way to help the European Union boost supplies as everything from transport to heavy industries will use more electricity in the future.
Nearly 28 million children affected by flooding this year, UN says
Most of the 27.7 million children impacted by flooding this year are among “the most vulnerable” and risk death by drowning, disease outbreaks, lack of safe drinking water, malnutrition and violence, the UN said on Tuesday.
“We are seeing unprecedented levels of flooding all around the world this year, and with it, an explosion in threats to children,” said Paloma Escudero, head of the Unicef delegation for Cop27.
“The climate crisis is here. In many places, the flooding is the worst it has been in a generation, or several. Our children are already suffering at a scale their parents never did.”
In Pakistan, where massive floods have ravaged the country in its monsoon season, at least 1 in 9 children under the age of five taken to health facilities following the natural disaster were found to be suffering from “severe acute malnutrition”.
“The recent floods in Pakistan damaged or destroyed nearly 27,000 school buildings, forcing 2 million children to miss school,” the UN statement said.
Following tropical storm Ana in Malawi in January this year, damage to water and sanitation systems contributed to a cholera outbreak. At least 1,600 children were affected.
“In South Sudan, 95 Unicef-supported nutrition sites have been affected by floods, hampering the delivery of life-saving and preventative malnutrition services for 92,000 children,” the UN said.
In Yemen, shelters and displacement sited were also heavily damaged by rains and flooding also affecting over 73,000 homes and causing 24,000 households to be displaced.
Source : COP27 website | thenationalnews |
