COP President to push for climate action at key events in Sweden

COP26 President Alok Sharma is due to appear at two key climate events in Sweden and is expected to push nations to take action ahead of COP27 in Egypt.

Tomorrow, Mr Sharma will speak in Stockholm at the Ministerial on Climate Action (MOCA), co-hosted by Canada, the EU and China, which will focus on the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

He will then appear in Stockholm 50+, an event organised by the United Nations General Assembly to celebrate 50 years since the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.

Speaking ahead of his visit Mr Sharma said: ‘Six months on from COP26, the world has changed. These events in Sweden are taking place against the backdrop of Putin’s brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine. Inflation, debt, and food insecurity are growing challenges. Many across the world are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic.

‘So once again, we have must demonstrate that these threats have increased, not diminished, our determination to deliver on the Pact.

‘We must accelerate progress on phasing down coal and ending inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, on our NDCs, finance, adaptation, and loss and damage.  We must turn the promises and commitments of the Glasgow Climate Pact into action.’

At MOCA the COP President will reflect on achievements made since COP26 was held in Glasgow, where pledges to deliver $100bn of climate finance each year were made.

However, currently countries are falling short of this target, while plans to phase out coal have not proven totally successful, as some countries have considered coal expansion due to the war in Ukraine.

Mr Sharma will also discuss outcomes of the May Ministerial on Implementation, co-hosted by Egypt and the UK in Copenhagen two weeks prior, which reiterated the urgency of delivering the Glasgow Climate Pact.

At this meeting, the consensus was that countries should revisit their 2030 emission reductions targets before COP27 and strengthen them with flexible plans if they don’t align with temperature goals set in the Paris Agreement.

Finance will also be discussed here, which Egypt has said should be the top priority of COP27, as should making financial assistance available for developing nations.

Mr Sharma will outline the need of scaling up and providing timely access to finance for countries pledged to combat the climate crisis, as well as resources for loss and damage.

A meeting with a delegation of parents from across the world will also be held to talk about the impacts of burning fossil fuels on children’s health.

At Stockholm 50+, the COP President will chair a meeting on climate, forests and land which will focus on delivering commitments made at COP26, endorsed by 143 countries.

Photo by William Gibson