According to a French official, the European Union on Saturday rejected an Egyptian proposal for a settlement at the COP27 as “unacceptable” because it was not sufficiently aggressive in cutting carbon emissions.
The conclusion of the COP26 last year’s conference was questioned at this point by the Egyptian presidency, according to a French energy transition ministry official who spoke to AFP.
“This is intolerable for France and the nations of the European Union.”
Countries committed to keeping global warming “well below” two degrees Celsius compared to the late 19th century under the 2015 Paris Agreement.
They also agreed to the aspirational target of keeping temperature increases to 1.5C, which researchers later found to be a far safer barrier against catastrophic climate effects.
In Glasgow last year, governments adopted the tougher 1.5C objective and agreed to reevaluate their carbon reduction targets every year.
The French official said: “The issue is that the Egyptian presidency is trying to push through a document that removes the requirement for nations to consistently raise their national objectives in order to fulfill the 1.5C goal.
The negotiations were “in overtime,” according to Frans Timmermans, vice president of the European Commission and head of the EU delegation at COP27.
He stated on Twitter that “the EU is united in our determination to go forward and build on what we agreed in Glasgow.” Our partners have received a clear message from us: “We cannot tolerate if 1.5C dies right now.”
The two-week discussions in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh have stalled over a number of interrelated issues, including how — and how quickly — to channel money to vulnerable developing countries already hit by storms, droughts, heatwaves, and floods that are exacerbated by climate change.
AFP
