COP27 ‘a mixed bag’: Founder of Biosphere Strategies to Jusoor Post

Although the COP27 meetings concluded with a long-awaited loss and damage fund for vulnerable developing countries by the developed states, Michelle Wyman, Founder and Principal of Biosphere Strategies, which focuses on advancing climate, biodiversity and sustainability, is begging a question on when the major world leaders will take action to fulfill their pledges of ending their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

At the closing plenary of the COP27, the UNFCCC and COP27 President Sameh Shoukry announced that the 2015 Paris Agreement goal of keeping global warming at 1.5°C was “intact.”

“Paris Agreement remains intact – no backsliding or backtracking as commitments reaffirmed and strengthened despite global headwinds,” said the COP27 Presidency in a statement on Sunday, November 20.

In her remarks to Jusoor Post, Wyman saw the outcomes of the 15-day conference in Sharm El-Sheikh as “a mixed bag,” saying, “On one hand, the fact that the United States agreed to participate in a fund dedicated to loss and damage for least-developing countries (LDCs) is good progress. On the other hand, the overall progress by nations towards meeting the necessary greenhouse gas emissions reductions to avoid not only 1.5, but 2 and even 3 degrees, in planetary warming indicates grave predictions that the world is on a path towards catastrophic climate impacts.”

A package of more than $150 million in aid was announced by US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry for Africa’s adaptation to climate change, which came on the sidelines of COP27 on Friday, November 11. The pledged aid was announced during an event titled “Advancing Adaptation Action in Africa” and co-hosted by the US special envoy and COP27 President Sameh Shoukry.

Wyman called for the UNFCCC and COP meetings to shed light on holding nations accountable for mitigation and adaptation, asking the largest GHG emitters of the developed countries to act now to accelerate and take “measurable action” to cut their emissions.

“The question emerging from COP27 is not new, rather is the same since 2016. Will high-emitting nations take the measures necessary to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in time to avoid catastrophic climate impacts? And will those places and peoples in the world already affected by climate change and suffering gravely from its impacts receive the support they need to survive?” she said.

“In short, COP27 did not meet the mark for what was needed this year on the global climate stage; however, the UNFCCC COPs are the only global mechanism for engaging 195 nations in an effort together to address this complex global problem. Without the COP meetings, nations have no dedicated place to engage and work together to effectively solve the climate crisis,” she added.