Climate Change
UN climate talks drag into extra time with scant progress
Negotiators say they have struck a potential breakthrough deal on the thorniest issue of United Nations climate talks in Egypt: the creation of a fund for compensating poor nations that are victims of extreme weather worsened by rich countries’ carbon pollution.
Several cabinet ministers from across the globe told The Associated Press that agreement was reached on a fund for what negotiators call loss and damage. It’s a big win for poorer nations which have long called for cash — sometimes viewed as reparations — because they are often the victims of climate disasters despite having contributed little to the pollution that heats up the globe.
“This is how a 30-year-old journey of ours has finally, we hope, found fruition today,” said Pakistan Climate Minister Sherry Rehman, who often took the lead for the world’s poorest nations. One-third of her nation was submerged this summer by a devastating flood and she and other officials used the motto: “What went on in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan.”
If an agreement is accepted it still needs to be approved in a unanimous decision later Saturday. But other parts of a deal, outlined in a package of proposals put out earlier in the day by the Egyptian chairs of the talks, are still being hammered out as negotiators head into what they hope is their final session.
There was strong concern among both developed and developing countries about proposals on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, known as mitigation. Officials said the language put forward by Egypt backtracked on some of the commitments made in Glasgow aimed at keeping alive the target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. The world has already warmed 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since the mid 19th century.
Some of the Egyptian language on mitigation seemingly reverted to the 2015 Paris agreement, which was before scientists knew how crucial the 1.5 degree threshold was and heavily mentioned a weaker 2-degree Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) goal, which is why scientists and Europeans are afraid of backtracking, said climate scientist Maarten van Aalst of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre.
Ireland’s Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan said: “We need to get a deal on 1.5 degrees. We need strong wording on mitigation and that’s what we’re going to push.”
Still, the attention centered around the compensation fund, which has also been called a justice issue.
Read more: COP27: Bangladesh among first recipients of Global Shield financial support
“There is an agreement on loss and damage,” Maldives Environment Minister Aminath Shauna told the AP early Saturday afternoon after a meeting with other delegations. “That means for countries like ours we will have the mosaic of solutions that we have been advocating for.”
New Zealand Climate Minister James Shaw said both the poor countries that would get the money and the rich ones that would give it are on board with the proposed deal.
It's a reflection of what can be done when the poorest nations remain unified, said Alex Scott, a climate diplomacy expert at the think tank E3G.
“I think this is huge to have governments coming together to actually work out at least the first step of ... how to deal with the issue of loss and damage," Scott said. But like all climate financials, it is one thing to create a fund, it's another to get money flowing in and out, she said. The developed world still has not kept its 2009 pledge to spend $100 billion a year in other climate aid — designed to help poor nations develop green energy and adapt to future warming.
“The draft decision on loss and damage finance offers hope to the vulnerable people that they will get help to recover from climate disasters and rebuild their lives," said Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy at Climate Action Network International.
The Chinese lead negotiator would not comment on a possible deal. The U.S. negotiations office, where special envoy John Kerry is sick with COVID-19, also declined to comment. China and the U.S. are the two biggest carbon polluters. European negotiators said they were ready to back the deal but declined to say so publicly until the entire package was approved.
The Egyptian presidency, which had been under criticism by all sides, proposed a new loss and damage deal Saturday afternoon and within a couple hours an agreement was struck but Norway's climate and environment minister Espen Barth Eide said it was not so much the Egyptians but countries working together.
According to the latest draft, the fund would initially draw on contributions from developed countries and other private and public sources such as international financial institutions. While major emerging economies such as China would not initially be required to contribute, that option remains on the table and will be negotiated over the coming years. This is a key demand by the European Union and the United States, who argue that China and other large polluters currently classified as developing countries have the financial clout and responsibility to pay their way.
The planned fund would be largely aimed at the most vulnerable nations, though there would be room for middle-income countries that are severely battered by climate disasters to get aid.
An overarching decision that sums up the outcomes of the climate talks doesn't include India’s call to phase down oil and natural gas, in addition to last year’s agreement to wean the world from “unabated” coal.
Read more: COP27: Bangladesh to reiterate call to materialize $100bn pledged for developing countries
Several rich and developing nations called Saturday for a last-minute push to step up emissions cuts, warning that the outcome barely builds on what was agreed in Glasgow last year.
It also doesn’t require developing countries such as China and India to submit any new targets before 2030. Experts say these are needed to achieve the more ambitious 1.5 degrees Celsius goal that would prevent some of the more extreme effects of climate change.
Throughout the climate summit, the American, Chinese, Indian and Saudi Arabian delegations have kept a low public profile, while European, African, Pakistan and small island nations have been more vocal.
Many of the more than 40,000 attendees have left town, and workers started packing up the vast pavilions in the sprawling conference zone.
U.N. climate meetings have evolved over the years to resemble trade fairs, with many countries and industry groups setting up booths and displays for meetings and panel discussions.
At many stands, chairs were stacked neatly ready for removal, and monitors had been taken away, leaving cables dangling from walls. Pamphlets and booklets were strewn across tables and floors. Snack bars, which the Egyptian organizers said would remain open through the weekend, were emptied out.
At the youth pavilion, a gathering spot for young activists, a pile of handwritten postcards from children to negotiators was left on a table.
“Dear COP27 negotiators,” read one card. “Keep fighting for a good planet.”
EU shakes up climate talks with surprise disaster fund offer
Climate talks appeared stalled late night Thursday on major issues going into the final day, but possibilities for a deal were buoyed by an unexpected proposal by the European Union on two of the thorniest issues, tying compensation for climate disasters to tougher emissions cuts.
Minutes after the United Nations summit's chairman warned delegates that “we are not where we need to be in order to close this conference with tangible and robust outcomes," the EU's top climate official made a surprise offer. To applause, he proposed a two-pronged approach that would create a pot of money for poor countries and push for steeper cuts of heat-trapping emissions by all countries, as well as the phasing down of all fossil fuels, including natural gas and oil.
The issues of compensation and pollution-cutting “are two sides of the same coin as far as the European Union is concerned," said European Union Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans, making clear that the 27-nation bloc won't offer more money unless there are concessions on emissions targets.
“If we do not perform enough on mitigation, there is no money on Earth enough to address the consequences of the climate crisis," Timmermans told The Associated Press. “The amounts of losses and damages will be such that we could never repair them.”
“So we absolutely need high ambition on mitigation if we want to have a fighting chance also to help the most vulnerable and face these challenges,” he added.
Vulnerable nations called for a deal to be sealed before the end of the talks.
"This is a historic opportunity that can’t be lost and that must be seized now," Maldives Environment Minister Aminath Shauna said.
Poorer countries that bear the brunt of climate change, from rising sea levels to extreme flooding, stepped up the urgency, accusing richer polluters of stalling and said they cannot wait another year for the creation of a fund to pay for damages.
Before Timmermans sprung the two-page proposal, special teams of ministers said they made progress on major issues, including loss and damage.
But the mood was somewhat grim.
Read more: COP27: Bangladesh urges developed countries to double climate financing by 2025
United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell urged negotiators to get cracking.
“There is an outcome where we all come out of this having done our jobs and with something that protects our planet,” Stiell said. “Let’s do that."
Then Timmermans came out with his proposals and negotiators, including U.S. Special Envoy John Kerry, dashed about trying to figure out what to do next.
Problems quickly popped up.
China, which had been quiet during much of the talks, insisted that the 2015 Paris Agreement should not be changed and money for the new fund should come from developed countries, not them. Saudi Arabia also said it was important “to not go beyond what we have” in the Paris pact and was reluctant to pony up to a compensation fund.
Asked to comment on the EU proposal, Kerry said he hadn't had a chance to read it yet.
“We’ll take a look at it,” he told The AP. "You know, we’ll see.”
Egypt's leadership of the summit, called COP27, came under criticism earlier Thursday presenting what some negotiators described as a 20-page “laundry list” of wide-reaching ideas.
“It is evidently clear that at this late stage of the COP27 process, there are still a number of issues where progress remains lacking,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, the president of the summit, said late Thursday.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who had flown in for the final stage of negotiations, warned of a “breakdown in trust between North and South, and between developed and emerging economies.”
“The world is watching and has a simple message: stand and deliver,” he told leaders, adding that there was “no time for finger pointing.”
Negotiators were surprised by several ideas in the Egyptian draft that they said were never discussed at the two-week talks.
Among them was a call for developed countries to achieve “net-negative carbon emissions by 2030” — a far tougher target than any major nation has so far committed to and which would be very hard to achieve. The EU and U.S., for example, have said they aim to reach net zero emissions by 2050, China by 2060.
The head of the European Parliament Bas Eirkhout said it was "too broad, too many topics, too vague language and too many items, which I don’t think have to be in a cover decision.”
The conference is supposed to end Friday, but past gatherings have been extended to reach a deal.
Longtime negotiations analyst Alden Meyer of E3G said that unlike in previous years, the president of the conference delayed putting together special teams of ministers to push through solutions on big issues, except loss and damage, and that’s putting everything behind.
Read more: Adapting to climate change is the main focus of COP27: Info Minister
There were at least half a dozen instances where nations were “taking negotiations hostage” by taking hardline, seemingly inflexible stances, Meyer said. The biggest was on the compensation fund for climate disasters, known as “loss and damage” in negotiators’ parlance.
The United States has resisted any fund that would suggest liability and compensation — let alone reparations — for decades of greenhouse gas emissions by industrialized nations.
European countries have backed calls by island nations for a “mosaic” of financial arrangements drawing on public and private sources of money.
But there are big differences over who should pay.
German officials said the money should not come only from the industrialized nations, but also major emerging economies whose greenhouse gas emissions have increased sharply in recent decades.
Heavy polluters China and India, however, argue they should not have to contribute because they are still officially considered developing nations.
The issue of loss and damage is one of three financial aid pots discussed. Rich nations agreed in past conferences to spend $100 billion a year to help poorer countries develop cleaner energy systems and adapt to prevent future disasters — though they have lagged in giving the funds.
One longtime participant in the climate talks, Yamide Dagnet of the Open Society Foundation, said developed countries were showing more openness on “loss and damage.”
“But fear of compensation and liability remains a Damocles sword that needs to be overcome,” said Dagnet, a former EU negotiator at the talks.
“The United States is probably the most nervous about how much it can give in on loss and damage after decades of delaying tactics, backed by other developed countries,” she said.
Timmermans, the EU climate chief, expressed cautious hope that an agreement might be achieved yet in Egypt.
“I am by nature an optimistic person, but I’m also realist," he told The AP. "I think it is possible, but I grant you, it’s not going to be easy.”
His comments were echoed by Chilean Environment Minister Maisa Rojas.
“I think we’re making progress. We heard a lot of goodwill in particular on the financing for loss and damage,” she told The AP.
The EU offer on climate financing “looks promising. So, I think there will be good advances.”
COP27: Rich countries couldn’t agree yet on loss and damage funding for vulnerable nations
Countries attending this year’s Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) are yet to decide on some important issues, including financing for vulnerable countries under the “Loss and Damage” programme.
Talking to UNB, Ziaul Haque, a representative of Bangladesh at the conference, said that the developed countries have set 2024 for finalising a structure of the “Loss and Damage” programme.
“We couldn’t agree on the primary issue, which is financing for vulnerable countries over climate change-induced losses. No decision has been taken on the length of the mitigation programme to reduce carbon emissions either. I don’t think we’ll gain much at this year’s conference, as the rich countries are busy reaching a consensus on old issues,” Ziaul said.
Read: COP27: Momen thanks Egypt for focusing on "loss and damage" issue
Ziaul added that the COP27 participants are currently preparing the outlines of Global Goal on Adaptation and Loss and Damage programme so that decisions can be taken on them in the next conference.
“Although the issue of adapting to climate change is widely discussed in each conference, no one provides any money as there is a lack of policies. That’s why we’re working on Global Goal on Adaptation. Hopefully the goal will be finalised in the next conference and then we’ll get the money,” added Ziaul.
Talking to various Bangladeshi representatives at COP27, UNB learned that there is a chance for the Glasgow-Sharm el Sheikh Work Program on Mitigation to get the final nod. Climate vulnerable countries are pushing for this work program.
The work programme will list which countries need to check carbon emissions first. Besides, a synthesis report on how much carbon is being emitted will also be prepared till 2030 under the programme.
Read: COP27: Bangladesh urges developed nations to double provision of adaptation finance by 2025
A draft document consisting of 38 paragraphs has been published at COP27 in this regard. The participants are now trying to reduce the number of paragraphs to make it more compact.
At COP27, the staff-level discussions have ended and the minister-level discussions are currently in place. The conference will end on Friday, when the Sharm el-Sheikh decision will be taken as an agreement approved by the ministers of the participating countries.
Bangladesh wins COP27 award for community-led initiative
Bangladesh and four other countries have been awarded the Local Adaptation Champions Awards at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.
“Our winners show that community-centric and locally led solutions to the climate crisis exist, but they require support and recognition to be scaled up and to achieve the most impact,” said Professor Patrick Verkooijen, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Center on Adaptation, explaining what the award signifies.
The award was given to the Rangamati Hill District Council initiative, where it collaborated with five villages in Juraichari Upazila where the residents were combatting worsening droughts, landslides and flash floods.
With support from the United Nations Development Programme and Danida, the community worked to set up solar power-based safe water supply facilities and the provision of safe drinking water during crises.
Former UN Secretary-General and GCA Co-Chair Ban Ki Moon said the initiative is a combination of local and traditional techniques and it has been done for climate adaptation in marginalised areas.
“The initiative is not only sustainable, others can also emulate it and efficiently and appropriately negate the adverse impacts of climate change,” he added.
Read: COP27: Developed countries keen to fund vulnerable countries, says Hasan Mahmud
“Now communities have clean drinking water, and they can water their dragon fruit, mango and lychee orchards and cultivate their land for food and income,” said Arunendu Tripura, Public Relations Officer for Rangamati Hill District Council.
The Council has also established a climate resilience committee and supported local communities in conducting climate vulnerability assessments, which have fed into the creation of local resilience plans.
“Also, half of our members are women. I asked them why they chose to install this water facility, and they said as soon as they were able decide a solution, they chose to end the misery they face in fetching water, to curb their suffering. This gave me great satisfaction,” said Tripura.
Jona Chakma, a resident of the remote Choumohani Village of Jurachharhi Upazila, talks about her suffering before the initiative: “I would walk an hour to fetch water from Bonjogi Chhorha [stream]. That water would be used for drinking, cooking, washing and showering needs.”
“During summer, we needed more water. But the stream would shrink. I spent the whole day just to collect drinking water, bathing was a luxury. I cannot even express the suffering I went through,” she added.
Read: Adapting to climate change is the main focus of COP27: Info Minister
An earthquake in 2017 hiked the woes by restricting the flow of the stream.
It became harder to collect water. The villages of Choumohani, Badalpara, Lokkhi Member Para, NK Para and Chairman Para, all roughly 12 kilometres from Juraichari Sadar, were hit the hardest.
The deep tube-well run by solar power was established in Badalpara and has a 5000-litre water storage facility. The water is piped to the other villages.
Badalpara village’s Jharna Chakma explains the impact: “Our life has become easier. The time we spent to get water, we can now spend that in taking care of our children or income-generating activities like weaving cloth.”
UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Prasenjit Chakma points out that a women-led committee handle the management of the pump. “The local people, both men and women are part of this committee. The women lead the process. They have developed a fund with which they can do the maintenance and repairs of the facility.”
The GCA awards recognize locally led efforts to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change across four categories: financial governance, inclusive leadership, capacity and knowledge, and local innovation.
The other three countries to receive the award among 170 countries are India, Nepal and Kenya.
Read: COP27: Bangladesh wants developed countries to deliver on $100 billion promise
Each winner will receive €15,000 in funds to further the work they are doing in the spirit of the locally-led adaptation principles. They will also have access to a global network of changemakers.
COP27: Developed countries keen to fund vulnerable countries, says Hasan Mahmud
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud has said that developed countries have decided to fund climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh under a “loss and damage” programme at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference of The Parties, popularly called COP27.
In an exclusive interview with UNB, the Minister, who has joined the conference representing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, added that Bangladesh wants a separate fund like the green climate fund to get the money promised by the rich countries.
“Bangladesh is incurring huge losses and damages due to frequent natural disasters like floods and cyclones, which are direct results of climate change. The good news is that the world has recognised these problems of ours. These issues are being widely discussed at this year’s conference, and countries like Denmark and Belgium have promised to provide money to tackle these crises,” Hasan said.
Hasan added that the topic of Climate Finance has become a burning issue at this year’s climate conference.
Read: Adapting to climate change is the main focus of COP27: Info Minister
“The issue of Climate Finance is being debated at COP27, especially by the developed countries. They’re trying to find out who gave $82 billion to whom last year. Despite providing additional funding, rich countries have provided this money as bilateral assistance, which is kind of wrong,” Hasan added.
Replying to a question, Hasan said that the Russia-Ukraine war is standing in the way of saving the planet from climate change.
“The sanctions and counter sanctions which are being imposed on Russia and the Western countries are hurting the people severely. Climate financing is facing great risk due to the Russia-Ukraine war as developed countries are busy financing the war. To protect the people from climate-induced dangers, first we need to stop the war,” said Hasan.
Read: COP27: Bangladesh wants developed countries to deliver on $100 billion promise
The Minister further said that Bangladesh has demanded the allocation of a separate fund to recover from the billion dollar losses incurred by the country’s water and sanitary systems due to natural disasters.
“At COP27, we’ve presented the issues of rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, salinity, droughts, floods and cyclones as the disasters which are damaging the water and sanitary systems of climate-vulnerable countries like us. About 98 percent of Bangladeshi people are getting clean water, while we’ve also secured complete success in ensuring sanitation for all. Still, we’re facing challenges in these sectors due to climate change,” Hasan said.
Replying to another question, Hasan added that it creates extra burden for poor countries like Bangladesh when the developed countries tell them to reduce the emission of carbon and methane gas from the agricultural sector.
“We need to make our agricultural sector climate tolerant while ensuring food for all. We can’t do anything that hampers the food security of the people,” Hasan concluded.
Read: COP27: Bangladesh prioritises realisation of green climate fund, Environment Minister tells UNB
UN climate talks near halftime with key issues unresolved
As the U.N. climate talks in Egypt near the half-way point, negotiators are working hard to draft deals on a wide range of issues they’ll put to ministers next week in the hope of getting a substantial result by the end.
The two-week meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh started with strong appeals from world leaders for greater efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and help poor nations cope with global warming.
Scientists say the amount of greenhouse gases being pumped into the atmosphere needs to be halved by 2030 to meet the goals of the Paris climate accord. The 2015 pact set a target of ideally limiting temperature rise to 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, but left it up to countries to decide how they want to do so.
Read more: Climate Change: Int’l community must act with fund and solutions to help most vulnerable nations
With impacts from climate change already felt across the globe, particularly by the world’s poorest, there has also been a push by campaigners and developing nations for rich polluters to stump up more cash. This would be used to help developing countries shift to clean energy and adapt to global warming; increasingly there are also calls for compensation to pay for climate-related losses.
Here is a look at the main issues on the table at the COP27 talks and how they might be reflected in a final agreement.
KEEPING COOL
The hosts of last year’s talks in Glasgow said they managed to “keep 1.5 alive,” including by getting countries to endorse the target in the outcome document. But U.N. chief Antonio Guterres has warned that the temperature goal is on life support “and the machines are rattling.” And campaigners were disappointed that agenda this year doesn’t explicitly cite the threshold after pushback from some major oil and gas exporting nations. The talks’ chair, Egypt, can still convene discussions on putting it in the final agreement.
CUTTING EMISSIONS
Negotiators are trying to put together a mitigation work program that would capture the various measures countries have committed to reducing emissions, including for specific sectors such as energy and transport. Many of these pledges are not formally part of the U.N. process, meaning they cannot easily be scrutinized at the annual meeting. A proposed draft agreement circulated early Saturday had more than 200 square brackets, meaning large sections were still unresolved. Some countries want the plan to be valid only for one year, while others say a longer-term roadmap is needed. Expect fireworks in the days ahead.
SHUNNING FOSSIL FUELS
Last year’s meeting almost collapsed over a demand to explicitly state in the final agreement that coal should be phased out. In the end, countries agreed on several loopholes, and there are concerns among climate campaigners that negotiators from nations which are heavily dependent on fossil fuels for their energy needs or as revenue might try to roll back previous commitments.
MONEY MATTERS
Rich countries have fallen short on a pledge to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020 in climate finance for poor nations. This has opened up a rift of distrust that negotiators are hoping to close with fresh pledges. But needs are growing and a new, higher target needs to be set from 2025 onward.
COMPENSATION
The subject of climate compensation was once considered taboo, due to concerns from rich countries that they might be on the hook for vast sums. But intense pressure from developing countries forced the issue of ‘loss and damage’ onto the formal agenda at the talks for the first time this year. Whether there will be a deal to promote further technical work or the creation of an actual fund remains to be seen. This could become a key flashpoint in the talks.
First-ever Ocean Collective Summit held in Singapore
The International SeaKeepers Society organised the first-ever edition of The Ocean Collective Summit (TOCS) at ONE° 15 Marina Sentosa Cove in Singapore recently. TOCS is part of Blue Water EduFest 2022 and the inaugural event saw Guest of Honour Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration in attendance. He later delivered a speech reiterating the nation's commitment to coastal conservation as part of Singapore's sustainability endeavours.
While weather patterns of late give a grim indication of the impact of climate change, the resounding message from the Conference was one of hope, encouragement and more importantly, one of personal responsibility. Speakers ranging from keynote speaker; famed Aquanaut, Oceanographic Explorer and Environmental Advocate, Fabien Cousteau; Dr Karenne Tun, Director of the Coastal and Marine and Terrestrial Branches, National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board (NParks); and Dr Steven Fong, Programme Chair DMAC, Republic Polytechnic; stressed the importance of personal action. Enayetullah Khan, conservationist and founder of WildTeam, attended the summit on the first day, November 3.
Instead of waiting for work or action to be taken by the authorities or a collective group, individual action is just as important and should not be neglected, the conference conveyed. Speakers also urged attendees to look at making changes in their daily habits, a change of mindset, and even changing the language. For instance, instead of "seafood", the term can be replaced with "sealife" so that in time, sea creatures are seen as cohabitants of the planet and not just food for consumption. Dr Tun further shared the personal actions she's taking with her lifestyle as a demonstration of how everyone has a part to play to help achieve the targets set out in The Singapore Green Plan 2030.
Read more: UNCLOS can be a pathway to ocean of opportunity for LDCs: Bangladesh
The message of personal responsibility rings true for today's youth who formed a large part of the audience. The youth are identified as the group showing the most concern as well as the group most demanding for action to be taken. The message of personal responsibility and action resonated with the attendees and set the stage for the second day of the conference.
The second day of the conference (Nov. 4) also explored how corporate citizens maintain the balance between commercial requirements and responsibility to the environment. Speakers from some of the world's most established brands, such as Citi Private Bank, SDAX, Archwey and VE Capital and Company, shared how their organisations provide solutions towards achieving sustainability.
About The Ocean Collective Summit
The Ocean Collective Summit (TOCS) is a programme initiated by The SeaKeepers in cooperation with Fabien Cousteau; the Founder of The Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Centre and Proteus Ocean Group; and famed for his work as an Aquanaut, Oceanographic Explorer and Environmental Advocate.
TOCS aims to bring a focus on the ocean and its intricate connections to life and all the inhabitants of our planet, Earth. Through its annual conference, TOCS will gather thought leaders to educate, raise awareness and inspire action to be taken and work collectively towards a more sustainable future.
The International SeaKeepers Society
The International SeaKeepers Society was founded in 1998 by a small group of yacht owners who were alarmed by the deterioration of our natural environment. The organisation's initial focus was on the development and use of instrumentation on yachts to monitor marine conditions throughout the world's oceans. Today, The International SeaKeepers Society continues to work with yachts as a vital part of its programming.
The International SeaKeepers Society strives to increase current knowledge about the oceans, promote and facilitate scientific discovery and raise awareness about critical ocean issues. The International SeaKeepers Society works directly with the yachting community as an essential component and contributor to ocean research and conservation efforts. The organisation runs several yacht-involved programs to accomplish this mission.
Read more: UN Ocean Conf: Bangladesh reaffirms commitment to achieve SDG-14
The International SeaKeepers Society began expansion into Asia in 2016 with the SeaKeepers Asia chapter. Building upon established international programming, the focus in Asia is creating awareness of the current situation of our oceans in Asia in order to build a sense of appreciation and commitment to protect, conserve and restore when possible.
Adapting to climate change is the main focus of COP27: Info Minister
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud has said that adaptation to and mitigation of the losses caused by climate change are being widely discussed at this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference of The Parties (COP27).
The minister shared this with UNB after attending COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh of Egypt on Friday.
“Climate vulnerable countries like Bangladesh are urging the developed nations for a long time to provide USD 100 billion per year to the Green Climate Fund. The issue is being discussed in details at COP27, which is making us hopeful,” Hasan said.
Read: COP27: Bangladesh wants developed countries to deliver on $100 billion promise
Bangladeshi climate specialists attending the conference said that the United Nations has marked November 11 as ‘De-carbonization Day’ and today’s discussion topics include reducing carbon emission in different sectors.
During the discussion, countries will talk about how to control carbon emission in sectors like oil, gas, steel and cement.
The steel industry is one of the top emitters of carbon in the world. Emphasis will be given on taking global measures to reduce carbon emission from the Steel industries worldwide.
Besides, countries will also discuss how to cut back the emission of human-generated methane gas from oil and gas industries through technology transfer, capacity building and financing.
Read: COP27: Bangladesh prioritises realisation of green climate fund, Environment Minister tells UNB
For the first time, children and young people have been included in activities related to dealing with climate change at this year’s climate conference.
“The world will move a step further in tackling climate change through the participation and activism of children and young people,” said Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN.
COP27: Bangladesh wants developed countries to deliver on $100 billion promise
The vital United Nations climate talks, billed as one of the last chances to stave off climate breakdown, are taking place from November 6-18 in Egypt's Sharm El Sheikh amid a multitude of competing crises, including the war in Ukraine, high inflation, food shortages and an energy crunch.
Negotiators are spending frantic days discussing whether to formally consider the issue of loss and damage, or reparations, to vulnerable nations suffering from climate change, and the issues, which weighed on the talks for years.
For Bangladesh, climate finance is one of the major topics to be broached at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27).
The Bangladesh delegation has said it will try to convince the developed countries to deliver on the $100 billion finance per annum that they had promised to provide to the countries hit by climate change earlier.
Read more: COP27: Bangladesh prioritises realisation of green climate fund, Environment Minister tells UNB
"After the Paris Climate Accord was signed in 2015, a rulebook or guideline was being formulated to implement the agreement all these years. The rulebook was approved at COP26 in Scotland's Glasgow last year," Bangladesh delegation member and Department of Environment Director Ziaul Haque told UNB.
"At Glasgow, the developed countries promised to do what it takes to cut carbon emissions by 45 percent in 2030 compared to 2010 to limit future warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. However, in the last one year, they were long on promises but woefully short on deliveries," Ziaul said.
Low- and lower-middle-income nations need financial support to lower their susceptibility to climate shocks and vulnerabilities and adapt to the rapidly changing environment.
At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries committed to mobilising $100 billion every year by 2020 for the developing countries to help them undertake climate actions. The commitment was later extended to 2025 at COP21 in Paris.
The Bangladesh delegation members said: "Unfortunately, that target has not yet been reached and largely missed."
Read more: COP27: World leaders to discuss Earth’s biggest challenge, but observers don’t expect much
The developed countries provided and mobilised $83.3 billion in overall climate finance in 2020, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Also, combining both the demand for mitigation and adaptation, the financing amount of $100 billion committed at that time, remains insufficient, to say the least, the Bangladesh delegation members said.
So, how developed countries will meet the $100 billion target and how climate finance will be arranged post-2025 is crucial for least developed and developing countries, they added.
"Against this backdrop, the COP27 presidency of Egypt envisions moving from negotiations and planning to implementation," Md Shamsuddoha, a climate expert observing the climate conference, said.
In Photos: River erosion engulfs villages in India
In the 12 years that he has been the priest of a small temple by the mighty Brahmaputra, Ranajit Mandal had never witnessed the river’s fury like this. Not only the temple, but the 50 homes in his native Murkata village were washed away in a matter of days.
“I feel like the earth has given way under my feet now. I have been the temple’s priest ever since it was built, I feel really lost now,” Mandal said.
Read more: COP27 climate talks begin as world grapples with multiple crises