Egypt wants to focus climate negotiations

                                       

Egypt, a natural gas exporter, has taken over the UN climate discussions from Britain. The roughly 200 countries in attendance at last year's conference in Glasgow, Scotland, promised to improve their climate pledges this year.

Many in Glasgow were upset when wealthy countries said they will not fulfil the $100 billion per year promised from 2020 to 2023 to assist developing countries with their energy transition and adaptation to a warming environment.

Egypt's aims for COP27 include delivering this funding. In an interview, Wael Aboulmagd, special representative to the COP27 said that it also wants to focus on securing separate "loss and damage" funds, or compensation payments to climate-vulnerable countries currently suffering from climate-related weather extremes.

"There are issues that are of interest and priority to developing countries, and there are high expectations from us as developing countries to ensure that these issues are taken into account and development is commensurate with their importance," he said.

However, as it tries to drive a move from pledges to action, Egypt will strive to arbitrate between developed and developing countries that have battled over topics such as carbon emissions and climate money.

"A perception of impartiality and equal distance from everyone is preserved in the interest of the process in this particular year."

Egypt, according to Aboulmagd, is preparing to launch 17 voluntary initiatives in sectors such as food and agriculture and water management, in the hopes of inspiring ideas and action to assist countries reach their commitments.

Egypt is fine-tuning its own updated greenhouse gas emission reduction target, known as a nationally determined contribution (NDC) (NDC).

"Despite really terrible circumstances," Aboulmagd added, referring to the economic disruptions created by the COVID-19 outbreak and the conflict in Ukraine.

Egypt has attempted to fast-rush accreditation for under-represented civil society organizations from Africa to increase global access and representation at COP27, Aboulmagd said, adding that he hopes climate campaigners and activists play a positive role.

"There are some restrictions, and we're working with the secretariat to make sure that if people want to demonstrate, they have the right to do so in a peaceful manner," he said.

"It's nice to have people yelling at you — preferably not throwing things at you, but just yelling at you, and that's something we're used to."

He claimed the Egyptian government had negotiated with hotels to provide reasonable lodging for participants in Sharm el-Sheikh, a Red Sea tourist resort.

"We've done everything we can to make sure that decent hotels with very reasonable rates are available."