COP27, Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt
In November 2022, governments civil society organosation and the private sector convened in Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt for the Annual UN Climate Change Conference ( Conference of Parties ). COP is the United Nations Highest decision-making platform on global commitments to tackling global climate change. COP27 set out to deliver action on ‘issues critical to addressing the climate emergency – from reducing greenhouse gas emissions, helping communities build resilience and adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change, to financing climate action and addressing loss and damage in developing countries’. More specifically, how local responses to growing climate change impacts can be strengthened.
The conference also sought to foster collaboration among the stakeholders to ensure a just transition to a net-zero economy which alleviates poverty and secures a sustainable future.
My participation
At the conference, I was part of the AirQo delegation and the broader Uganda delegation, and our particiption centred on 4 strategic objetcives:
- Advocating for the integration of air pollution management in climate change action
- Raising the profile of air quality within the climate change conversations in Africa
- Making the case for climate technologies financing mechanisms for African countries.
- Exploring new partnerships to facilitate scaling up of AirQo expansion agenda in African cities
I wore multiple hats, firstly as thematic negotiator on Climate Technology Development and Transfer, and as a primary collaborator for the Advocacy for clean air campaign, a multi-city youth-focused engagement in 3 African cities of Cape Town, Accra, and Lagos, for ‘clean air and healthier public spaces for physical activity.
Outcome
Side meeting with Dr Maria Neira, WHO Dretcor, Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health
Negotiation
- Opportunity for LDCs to develop and review Technology Needs Assessment, including broadening the scope to include ICT. Adopting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as an enabler for adaptation, mitigation, monitoring and reporting, and more broadly climate action
- Increase in climate technology financing for least developed countries, among many others
Collaborations: COP27 presented an excellent opportunity to establish bilateral contacts with different stkeholder groups globally.
During the special address by the U.S President, Joe Biden
Big picture: The biggest highlight for COP27 was the financial commitment for loss and damage arising from climate disasters