The Time to Act is Now: COP27 Marks a New Era for Climate Change Action

Beatrice Serra

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

The UN Climate Conference held in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, on November 6th, marked the beginning of a new era towards the full implementation of the UN Climate Convention (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. The UN climate chief pointed out that “… our policies, our businesses, our infrastructure, our actions, be they personal or public, must be aligned with the Paris Agreement and with the [UN Climate] Convention.” (UN News, 2022A) The climate emergency we are facing requires global leaders to take immediate action, also considering the worrying data presented by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in the provisional study recently released. WMO chief Petter Taalas warned about the record levels of greenhouse gases contributing to global warming, high temperatures causing the melting of glaciers thus raising sea levels, as well as the failure of rainy seasons and drought devastating numerous countries and exacerbating the spread of severe diseases. The findings of the WMO Report appear so catastrophic to be defined by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Gueterres as “chronicle of climate chaos.” (UN News, 2022B) 

Many countries are severely facing the consequences of climate change, with African countries such as Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia experiencing food insecurity, famine and economic collapse due to drought; Pakistan being flooded and suffering from forced displacement due to heavy rains; and Niger experiencing a decreased GDP due to heat waves impacting weather-related industries such as agriculture, construction, mining and manufacturing. Countries contributing less to global warming are paradoxically suffering from climate disasters the most. (UN News, 2022B; UN News, 2022C; UN News, 2022D)

According to the African Commission, climate change must be tackled as a human rights challenge that is affecting every sphere of humans’ life. Despite some countries being more affected than others, global warming and climate change is a matter requiring international efforts. In order to maintain the climate crisis under control, existing commitments must be respected while new policies are deemed necessary to effectively respond to climate change events. (African Commission, 2022) Highlighting global participation in the fight against climate change as a key element appears of great importance in light of the absence of major world leaders at COP27, namely China and India. While such global powers highly contribute to greenhouse emissions and thus climate change, their absence at the COP27 have shown their unwillingness to tackle global issues. (Sengupta, 2022) 

As climate disasters have exponentially increased over the past years, Mr. Guterres called for greater cooperation among countries: “we must answer the planet’s distress signal with action, ambitious, credible climate action,” and  “COP27 must be the place – and now must be the time” (UN News, 2022B; UN News, 2022D) 

Sources and Further Readings:

African Commission of Human and Peoples’ Rights (November 6, 2022),African Commission calls for human rights based policy measures towards climate change at COP27, African Commission Press Release, retrieved on November 7th, 2022, from https://achpr.au.int/en/news/press-releases/2022-11-06/african-commission-human-rights-policy-measures-towards-climate. 

1. Sengupta (November 7, 2022), Who’s attending COP27, and who isn’t, The NewYork Times, retrieved on November 8th, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/07/climate/cop27-attendees-egypt.html. 

United Nations (November 6, 2022A), COP27 begins a ‘new era to do things differently’, UN climate change chief declares as pivotal conference gets underway, UN News, retrieved on November 7th, 2022, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/11/1130242. 

United Nations (November 6, 2022B), New UN weather report ‘a chronicle of chaos’: UN chief, UN News, retrieved on November 7th, 2022, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/11/1130237. 

United Nations (November 4, 2022C) Climate change much deadlier than cancer in some places, UNDP data shows, UN News, retrieved on November 7th, 2022, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/11/1130202. 

United Nations (November 7, 2022D), COP27: $3.1 billion plan to achieve early warning systems for all by 2027, retrieved on November 8th, 2022, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/11/1130277.