Those gathered focus their eyes on Bali and the decisions that will be issued

“Objectives and aids” are the focus of the second week of the climate conference

Activists put pressure on the community to reach binding decisions.

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The climate conference entered its second week yesterday, while the divisions between the rich countries responsible for warming and the poor countries demanding aid to confront it are still very wide, despite the existence of an almost complete consensus on the urgent need to reduce emissions.

China finds itself stuck between these two camps, as it is responsible for 30% of the total greenhouse gases, which is the largest share globally, and is under pressure from both sides, to enhance carbon reduction commitments on the one hand, and to be also among the countries that provide aid, according to negotiators and analysts.

During the previous conference in Glasgow a year ago, about 200 countries pledged to maintain the most ambitious goals of the Paris climate agreement, represented by limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels, by increasing their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by « COP 27 », held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on the Red Sea.

However, fewer than 30 countries have done so, putting the world on a warming path of 2.4°C.

The first week of Cup 27 did not see much announcement in this regard, with the exception of Mexico and Australia.

Pierre Canet, of the NGO WWF, said each side seemed to be waiting for the other with mutual anticipation, believing they had done what they had to do.

Go further

The eyes of the negotiators in Sharm el-Sheikh are directed to a meeting in Bali between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, as well as a statement issued by the Group of 20, in search of signs that might lead to a solution in the negotiations held in Sharm el-Sheikh.

"Confirmation of the 1.5°C target in Bali will greatly facilitate our work," said a senior negotiator in the climate negotiations.

The US special envoy for climate, John Kerry, stressed, earlier during the conference, that the majority of countries here do not intend to go back, while the Egyptian presidency of "Cop 27" called for going further.

Since decisions are taken unanimously, any country can prevent the adoption of a measure.

Last year, a sudden last-minute demand by China and India led to an extension of the conference, which had already exceeded its allotted days.

Because of this pressure, delegates have had to tone down the historical reference to fossil energy sources, calling for an intensification of efforts to reduce coal use, in the absence of carbon dioxide capture systems.

It will look closely at the manner in which fossil energy will be mentioned, while some parties want to strengthen the formula in this context to include gas and oil, or mention a date for abandoning these sources, according to a European source.

And with the unprecedented massive floods in Pakistan a few months ago, to the small Pacific islands threatened by rising sea levels, developing countries, for their part, are demanding more money from rich countries, which have not respected their promises to provide $ 100 billion annually in aid to reduce emissions. and adapting to the effects of climate change.

These countries are also calling for a separate mechanism to deal with the losses and damages that they are exposed to, but it collides with the reservations of rich countries.

empty-handed

"I don't know anyone who wants to endorse anything that is not fully specified," Kerry said, stressing that the United States will not accept any "legal mechanism" related to compensation, but is ready to hold talks on financial settlements that may continue until 2024.

A European source told AFP, is creating a mechanism for this purpose the appropriate solution?

We don't think so, preferring to use recourse to existing bodies, such as the Green Climate Fund.

Ghana's negotiator, Henry Kokovo, said, speaking on behalf of the Climate Change Forum, which includes about 60 countries, we will not give up, we must push in this direction more forcefully.

The Environment Minister of the Maldives, Aminath Shona, commented that the biggest problem is the absence of political will, rejecting any settlement.

She added: I do not want to leave this conference empty-handed.

The ministers will enter the arena of negotiations as of today, in an attempt to settle political differences, with a view to approving a final document, which it is hoped will be issued on Friday, on the last day of the conference.

 Earlier in the conference, US Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry stressed that the majority of countries here do not intend to go back, while the Egyptian presidency of COP27 called for going further.

The ministers will enter the arena of negotiations as of today, in an attempt to settle political differences, with a view to approving a final document, which it is hoped will be issued on Friday, on the last day of the conference.

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