Ezaruku Draku Franklin

A number of global leaders and actors are set to update the world on the progress of implementation of previous climate change resolutions during the ongoing COP27 at Sharm el-Sheikh city in Egypt.

Among the key speakers include the COP26 president Nigel Topping, COP27 President Sameh Shoukry, Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and Simon Stiell, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for COP26 and COP27. Also present will be industry, cities and civil society leaders, Sophia Kianni and Yuriko Koike.

Themed “Making Good on Promises,” the discussions will form part of the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Summit Adaptation Agenda.

The COP27 President Shoukry is expected to announce the Sharm el-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda to enhance resilience for 4 billion people living in the most climate vulnerable communities by 2030. The Adaptation Agenda is the first comprehensive global plan to rally both State and non-State actors behind a shared set of 30 Adaptation Outcomes that are required by 2030 across food and agriculture, water and nature, oceans and coastal, human settlements and infrastructure systems as well delivery across key enablers of as planning and finance.

The event also explores how non-State actors are ‘making good on promises’ to achieve a resilient, net zero future. It is staged in the wake of several reports on the state of climate action, which starkly convey the need to address the current implementation gap with honesty, delivery, and accountability. To take stock of progress towards this, the Champions will today release their ‘Yearbook of Global Climate Action 2022’.

The Yearbook reports annually on the progress of non-State entities towards their climate goals, and is proof that – while obstacles remain – businesses, investors, cities, states and regions are building resilience and powering rapid changes in the real economy.

The latest edition of the Yearbook demonstrates that there are signals of change, despite the finding that the world is nowhere near on track toward a 1.5°C goal. Action by businesses, investors, cities, states, regions and civil societies continues to increase, with 34 Race to Resilience partners from 139 countries taking action to build the resilience of 2.9 billion people, while 26 Race to Zero partners have mobilised more than 11,000 non-State actors from 116 countries taking action to halve global emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by mid-century at the latest. 

“What’s more, there is evidence that climate action is becoming better distributed across the globe, with the Global Climate Action Portal recording a jump of 78% in actors from Asia-Pacific and of 67% from Africa. These figures have been boosted by this year’s three Regional Climate Weeks, which attracted approximately 8,000 participants after a return to an in-person format in 2022,” the report states.

To drive regional action deeper, the Champions will also use their opening event to preview results from the five Regional Finance Forums, organized by the COP27 Presidency, UN Regional Commissions and the Champions, to accelerate finance to projects in developing economies that reduce emissions,adapt to the impacts of climate change, build climate resilience, and advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. A full analysis of the 100+ projects presented at the Forums will be launched tomorrow to coincide with Finance Day, but key findings will be presented in today’s event of what is already a $120 billion investment opportunity, and which is growing exponentially.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, said if this COP is about implementation, it must also necessarily focus on accountability, in order to fully address the finance and implementation gaps at the speed and scale required. He said today’s Yearbook – capturing the vast array of non-State action under the Marrakech Partnership – is one way of holding all actors to account for the promises they have made.

He said it will serve as a vital contribution to both the Global Stock-take and the work of the two High-Level Expert Groups on Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities and the High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance.

“Building the confidence in a faster pathway to solutions means raising ambitions, scaling projects and channelling more money to developing nations. I am delighted therefore to see that this Yearbook of  Global Climate Action highlights what needs to happen to reach the 1.5 °C Paris goal, and its  goal of resilience,” Stiell said.

UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP26, Nigel Topping, said businesses, investors, cities, states, regions and civil society are powering rapid changes in the real economy and already seeing the benefits, the imperative to go faster has never been stronger.

“Governments should be encouraged by this progress and respond by creating the conditions to collaborate with non-State actors so we can all go further. While the progress is extraordinary, especially when we look at the transformation of the energy and transport sectors, non-State actors must double down and deliver in response to heightening impacts,” he said.

UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP27, Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, said it is imperative to accelerate global climate action through emissions reduction, scaling-up adaptation efforts and enhancing flows of appropriate finance.

“This has to occur within a more comprehensive agenda for sustainable development that addresses poverty, hunger, unemployment, and enhances women empowerment. The implementation of urgent, ambitious, impactful and transformative action is necessary to support vulnerable communities, achieve a resilient future and carbon neutral transformation, in the context of just transition,” Dr Mohieldin said.

The Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, said there is truly no time to lose when it comes to climate change and warned that all actors, including the national government, local governments, and companies, must immediately accelerate concrete actions.

“The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is accelerating its efforts to halve carbon emissions by 2030 and to reach zero emissions by 2050, including the mandatory installation of solar power generation equipment and promoting the broader use of green hydrogen. Time to act. Let’s walk together toward a sustainable future for cities and for the world,” he said