Egypt delivers on addressing challenges to COP 27 to avoid ‘backsliding’ on climate financial pledges: Ambassador

CAIRO – 27 October 2022: The most difficult challenges that face the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference that due to convene in Sharm El Sheikh city on November 6-28 and attended by more than 90 heads of state and government are issues related to a just climate transition and delivering on support pledged for developing countries, said Ambassador Mohamed Nasr, Lead Negotiator and Director General Climate, Environment and Sustainable Development at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He added in media briefing on Tuesday that while all parties agreed on climate transition, finding a just transition was a challenge in the discussion, he said, adding “The second one [challenge] is the delivery on supporting, in particular, is the major concern for the developing countries," when it comes to loss and damage role for implementing their adaptation projects.

As for the financial support pledged by the developed countries, he said that the COP 26 in Glasgow last year resulted in headlines of pledges for the adaptation fund, saying that 230 million out of pledged 360 million have not been fulfilled until today.

‘Backsliding on pledges’

“Unfortunately, I have to say that there is potential non-delivery and potential backsliding on pledges,” said the ambassador, adding that “Developing countries are rasing strong concern for that.”

This year 26 countries or more would review their NDCs and more will be coming and this is right direction if it maybe not up to the speed or up to the scale, he continued.

The ambassador added that there is a gap of finance as the African countries receive only 2 percent of the international investments in renewable energy while 600 million Africans no access to electricity. However, he continued all concerned parties have agreed that this gap shall be filled not only by public sources, but also throughout a package of sources like the private sector.

“If we looked at the climate finance pledges, they are minimal comparing to what was mobilized for COVID-19. They are minimal comparing to what has been mobilized for other causes. The Challenge is not for providing or mobilizing or making available climate finance, sometimes the challenge is the political will and commitments to go beyond the cop to deliver on the ground what has been accomplished for the COPs,” he continued.

As for the participation of UK King Charles III, Ambassador Nasr said that Egypt is still inviting him to attend the conference as the king is known with his advocacy for climate change. The ambassador invited new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to the conference, hoping that the UK doesn’t make “backsliding” on its financial pledges despite its economic crisis.