Dissatisfaction is growing in developing countries at COP27, even if there is a gap in global warming "loss countermeasures"
Extreme weather affects many lives in developing countries (September floods in Pakistan) - Reuters
The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), which discusses global warming countermeasures, will formally address "loss and damage" in developing countries due to rising sea levels and droughts. agreed. Frustrated developing countries are expected to seek large-scale aid to compensate for losses caused by global warming. There is a gap in concrete measures with developed countries.
The summit-level meeting began on the 7th. In his speech, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, "Developed countries must take the lead," and called for more in-depth action to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and support developing countries. On the 6th, Egypt's Foreign Minister Shoukry, the COP27 president, said he hopes to reach a final conclusion by 2024 at the latest on concrete measures to deal with "loss and damage."
“Loss and damage” envisions situations in which people lose their homes and income due to major hurricanes or droughts, or are forced to migrate due to the loss of land to live in due to rising sea levels. Smaller developing countries have historically emitted less and are less responsible for global warming than developed countries. Unlike developed countries, they do not have the financial leeway to take effective measures and are directly affected.
According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the damage caused by climate change is becoming apparent around the world. More than 1,700 people have been killed and more than 10,000 injured in floods in Pakistan since mid-June. 2.2 million homes were destroyed and 13,000 kilometers of roads were damaged. Many areas are still flooded.
Drought is becoming more serious in South America. It has been pointed out that Chile may experience a normalized drought from around 2020. In Argentina, 75% of the country's agricultural areas are suffering from a lack of rainfall. Due to water shortages, wheat production in 2022 and 2023 is expected to decline by 28% compared to the same period last year.
Sea-level rise also has an impact. The risk of storm surges and flooding increases, eroding the coast and narrowing the land. Some countries, such as the low-lying island nation of Kiribati, are considering moving to other countries.
The coalition of small island states, made up of 39 countries, said on Wednesday that it "will not fall victim to pollution created by others", with the developed countries that have been the major emitters in mind. He also calls for the establishment of a "Loss and Damage Response Fund," drawing up a plan to contribute funds from the fund to countries where damage has occurred. It is backed by a group of developing countries such as China.
In September, Mr. Guterres proposed a tax on fossil-fuel energy companies that would go to developing countries.
Developed countries, which had been wary of keeping the discussion of "loss and damage" separate, have softened their stance. Abnormal weather has caused extensive damage, mainly in developing countries, and the policy has been changed. However, at the current stage, he has only agreed to the discussion and has not disclosed any specific support measures. The United States and Europe are particularly cautious in presenting aid amounts.
Assistance can be huge, depending on how “loss and damage” are defined and measured. Some analysts estimate that the amount of assistance will reach 290 billion (approximately 42 trillion yen) to 580 billion dollars in 2030, and over 1 trillion dollars in 2050.
Developing countries need more than just “loss and damage” assistance. Developed countries have pledged to contribute $100 billion a year to developing countries by 2020 in areas such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The actual figure is $83.3 billion. It will likely take 2023 to realize the $100 billion mark, and dissatisfaction with developed countries is growing among developing countries. It is expected that the target amount for assistance after 2025 will be discussed with a view to raising the amount from 100 billion dollars.
Egyptian President Al-Sisi speaks at the COP27 summit (Reuters)
[Sharm el-Sheikh (northeast Egypt) = Takeshi Hisakado] The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), which discusses global warming countermeasures, began on the 7th, with African leaders changing to developed countries. There was a series of calls for further funding. French President Emmanuel Macron urged both the United States and China to bear the burden.
President al-Sisi of Egypt, which is the chair country, said, "Developed countries should make further efforts to ensure that the pledges are fulfilled." Developed countries have pledged to contribute $100 billion a year (about 15 trillion yen) to developing countries by 2020. Bear in mind that the actual amount is only $83.3 billion.
Senegal's President Sall, chairman of the African Union (AU), said, "We should take the 'differentiated responsibility', which is the most borne by those who pollute the most." He pointed out that Africa's greenhouse gas emissions are less than 4% of the world's.
Speaking at a COP-related event in Sharm el-Sheikh, Macron said he believed the United States and China needed to "accelerate" support for developing countries to combat climate change, according to AFP news agency. “Europe is paying,” he said.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also said that “the United States and China, the two largest economies, bear a special responsibility” for combating global warming. "We're on the highway to hell with our feet on the accelerator," he warned as climate chaos was irreversible.
President Muhammad Muhammad of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a major member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has indicated that the country will continue to produce fossil fuels as a "responsible supplier." "As long as the world needs oil and gas, it will continue to play a role," he said. The UAE will host COP28 in 2024.
