Flood the COP - Pay up for Loss and Damage at COP27

Photo: David Tong, Oil Change International

Will the conference achieve even a modicum of success in moving forward Loss and Damage and establishment of a Loss and Damage Finance Facility? That is still unknown.

A small battle was won at the start of COP27 to get Loss and Damage on the formal Agenda, but that is no gurantee of an outcome. There are countries who are still interested in delay, kicking the can down the road.

So on Friday members of civil society dressed in blue to Flood the COP at the conference. Most of the meetings had been shut down anyway due to the presence of US President Joe Biden and his speech announcing more details of actions the US is taking.

Early this week there was another flooding problem: a major sewerage flood at the UN Climate Change conference in Sharm El-Shiekh. Enough for people to start calling it Sharm El-Shit. 

This is symptomatic of many problems and stories coming out of this COP. Expensive food, with long queues. Very little access to water, initially. Delegates being rorted by accommodation jacking up prices. Little shade or space for civil society to organise. The atmosphere of suppression of local civil society and human rights.

On Decarbonisation Day - #Fossiloftheday Bonanza! US, Russia, Egypt and UAE refuse to decarbonise - fossils run in their veins

The Egyptian Presidency had allocated today, November 11, as Decarbonization Day. But really it turned out to be a Fossil of the day Bonanza. So many countries won a Fossil award today: USA, Russia, Egypt and United Arab Emirates. Read on...

I know from attending online the Advamcing the Global Methane Pledge, which included the CEO of Total Energies, gas was being marketed as a transition fuel to be used for decades and the Global Methane Pledge an excuse to seek financial subsidies to do what these companies already should be doing.

Australia's methane emissions, the Global Methane Pledge and COP27

Image: Karryos
Methane inventories in select fossil fuel basins (size of bubble = Mt CH4/yr), coverage of satellite data (x-axis, relative to total country emissions) and annual trend rate since 2019 (y-axis).

A report on global methane emissions by Karryos shows the only country to make headway on the Global Methane Pledge this year is Australia, thanks to a sharp reduction in methane from the Bowen Basin coal mines, as reported by Renew Economy.

The report says in the last year methane emissions from the globe’s largest oil, gas and coal basins, which are responsible for a tenth of the world’s methane, were largely unchanged in the 2022 year to date compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.

“Emissions from Australia’s Bowen basin have declined by approximately 11 per cent per annum,” Karryos said in its pre-COP27 report.

In stark contrast the Advancing Global Methane Pledge Presidency event on 11 November at COP27 appeared to be endorsing fossil gas as a transition fuel, with the possibility of rorting finance to install well known established technology to reduce flaring and leaks for an industry that is already highly profitable and will likely earn income from the methane saved.

.See also the international action on methane reduction by the USA, Canada and Nigeria. 

On 11 November the US State department announced another methane pledge relating to import and export of fossil fuels, which has been criticised as diverting focus from what they should do to tackle methane emissions.

15 November: Climate and Clean Air Ministerial at COP 27 | Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt reported by ENB/IISD. "The Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) saw ministers and leaders step up implementation efforts during the Climate and Clean Air Ministerial Roundtable, which took place on the sidelines of COP 27 and serves as the CCAC’s highest level political body to advance the Coalition’s work."

17 November: Very informative Ministerial on 17 November on the Global Methane pledge with an announcement that 150 countries have now signed. Methane action plans are being developed by many countries. Earlier in the day Methane action held a side-event on Methane matters: towards a global methane agreeement..

Climate Trace: tool shows global origin of emissions launched by Al Gore at COP27

 

Australia’s emissions are almost double those of Egypt, according to a new global emissions tracker - Climate Trace - launched at COP27.

The Climate TRACE platform tracks greenhouse gas emissions from around the world, providing maps and data on 72,000 power plants, oil refineries, airports, and more. 

This tool adds substantially to global transparency of reporting emissions and effectiveness of nations at reducing emissions.

The Application was launched by Former US Vice President Al Gore, with an introduction by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Guest Post: Global carbon emissions at record levels with no signs of shrinking, new data shows. Humanity has a monumental task ahead

 

Marcin Jozwiak/Unsplash, CC BY

Pep Canadell, CSIRO; Corinne Le Quéré, University of East Anglia; Glen Peters, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo; Judith Hauck, Universität Bremen; Julia Pongratz, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich; Philippe Ciais, Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA); Pierre Friedlingstein, University of Exeter; Robbie Andrew, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo, and Rob Jackson, Stanford University

Global carbon dioxide emissions from all human activities remain at record highs in 2022, and fossil fuel emissions have risen above pre-pandemic levels, according to a new analysis by an international body of scientists.

The analysis, by the Global Carbon Project, calculates Earth’s “carbon budget”, which is how much CO₂ humans have released, and how much has been removed from the atmosphere by the oceans and land ecosystems. From there, we calculate how much carbon can still be emitted into the atmosphere before Earth exceeds the crucial 1.5℃ global warming threshold.

This year, the world is projected to emit 40.6 billion tonnes of CO₂ from all human activities, leaving 380 billion tonnes of CO₂ as the remaining carbon budget. This amount of emissions is disastrous for the climate – at current levels, there is a 50% chance the planet will reach the 1.5℃ global average temperature rise in just nine years.

Egypt wins Fossil of the Day award for no protesters allowed but a warm welcome to a record number of fossil fuel lobbyists

No surprise that Egypt wins a Fossil award, the second award at this COP. 

Suppression of human rights and prevention of Egyption civil society in participating has been highlighted in the lead up to this conference. Read the Human Rights Watch report on how Egypt has undermined environmental activism and the UN Human Rights (UNHR) news item  - Egypt: UN experts alarmed by restrictions on civil society ahead of climate summit. 

Or take note of Fossil Fuel Polluters/Lobbyists taking over the COP. An analysis of registrations found 636 fossil fuel lobbyists have been registered to the COP27 climate talks, affiliated with some of the world's biggest polluting oil and gas giants. This is an increase of over 25% from COP26 says a Global Witness analysis

Or refer to the civil society intervention in the opening plenary. There can be no climate Justice without Human rights.

Japan wins First Fossil of the day award at COP27

During the UN Climate Change Conference the Environmental NGO Climate Action Network awards the Fossil of the Day awards to highlight those contries or entities doing the worst.

This year at Sharm El-Sheik the first award was made on November 9... to Japan.

Today’s Fossil of the Day is… Japan!

For being the world’s largest public financier for oil, gas, and coal projects

Guest Post: After decades putting the brakes on global action, does Australia deserve to host UN climate talks with Pacific nations?

Shutterstock

Wesley Morgan, Griffith University

As the COP27 climate talks got underway in Egypt this week, climate and energy minister Chris Bowen announced Australia would bid to co-host the annual United Nations climate summit with Pacific island nations in 2026.

Playing host to the world’s climate negotiations could be a very big deal. It would be the largest diplomatic event Australia has ever held and would have major implications for both climate policy and our international relations.

A successful summit would signal Australia’s shift from fossil fuel heavyweight to renewables superpower and herald a new era of regional cooperation with the Pacific. However, these outcomes cannot be assumed, nor can support from Pacific nations.

Addressing Greenwashing and net-zero pledges at non-state levels: New report by UN Expert group at COP27

The High Level Expert Group on Net Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities released its report to the UN Secretary-General today at the UN climate talks, COP27, in Egypt.

The report cracks down on greenwashing and weak net zero pledges that threaten to undermine global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees.

Non-state entities are all the regional and local governments, corporations and smaller businesses who all have a carbon footprint and need to address their greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, chair of the UN-appointed expert group and former Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change as well as Minister of Infrastructure, said the report provides a crucial roadmap to bring integrity to net zero commitments by industry, financial institutions, cities and regions and to support a global, equitable transition to a sustainable future.

“We must have zero tolerance for net-zero greenwashing,” said the Secretary-General at the launch of the Group’s report at the UN Climate Conference (COP27) at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on 8 November 2022. Calling the report “a how-to guide to ensure credible, accountable net-zero pledges,” he explained that it provides clarity in four key areas – environmental integrity, credibility, accountability, and the role of governments. 

“Solving the climate crisis requires strong political leadership. I urge all government leaders to provide non-state entities with a level playing field to transition to a just, net-zero future,” added the Secretary-General. 

In Parliament: Climate Change questions, statements and COP27

Image: Prime Minister Albanese answers a question on Loss and Damage asked by Leader of the Opposition peter Dutton

A few question on climate change being asked in the Commonwealth Parliament during Question time during the UN Climate Change conference COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.

On November 7, Queensland Greens MP Ms Watson-Brown asked the Prime Minister about the bid to host the Climate Change Conference COP31 in 2026 and whether he would commit to not opening any of the 114 new coal and gas projects presently in the pipeline?

The Prime Minister failed to answer the question. 

This question was originally attributed at the Guardian Live page as Peter Dutton, leader of the opposition, asking the question.

On November 8 Peter Dutton (Leader of the Opposition) asked a question whether the Prime Minister would ‘rule out’ compensating other countries for the climate crisis. It should be noted Loss and Damage is an important issue at COP27.

The Prime Minister in his response recalled the joke that Peter Dutton made in 2015 about our island neighbours drowning and then described the diplomatic efforts taken since May in restoring the credibility of Australia in the Asia Pacific region on Foreign policy. 

Albanese failed to address that Australia is not funding its fair share of climate finance and is the only OECD country not to participate in multilateral climate finance funding through the Green Climate Fund, after former Prime Minister Morrison unilaterally withdrew Australia from this Fund in 2019. (See Guardian report)

• 10 November - Question on COP27 - Zalli Steggall
• 10 November - Question on funding Climate Activists - Mr Fletcher
• 10 November - Statements - Raise our voices Australia - Dr Aly
• 10 November - Statements - Australia: Floods - Brian Mitchell
• 10 November - BILLS on Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Reform
• 9 November - Statements - Environmental Conservation - Kylea Tink
• 9 November - Statements - Little Climate Heroes Playgroup - Louise Miller-Frost
• 9 November - Questions on Climate Change - Sally Sitou
• 8 November - Questions on Climate Change - Peter Dutton
• 8 November - Questions on Climate Change - Dr Ananda-Rajah
• 8 November - Statement (on Gas Industry) - Adam Bandt
• 8 November - Statement on Budget cut to National Centre for coasts, environment and climate - Ms McKenzie
• 7 November - Questions on Climate Change - Elizabeth Watson-Brown
• 7 November - Statements (on Climate Change)- Zali Steggall
• 7 November - Petitions (related to Climate Change)
• 7 November - Global Methane Pledge motion by the Opposition