COP27 seals climate deal, but lacks tough action to phase out fossil fuels

Fund to help vulnerable nations lauded but lack of firmer action on emissions criticised

- David Fogarty

The COP27 climate talks on Sunday achieved a hard-fought agreement to create a fund to help developing nations cope with spiralling loss and damage from climate impacts.

But the deal, agreed after two weeks of intense negotiations in the Egyptian resort of Sharm ElSheikh, was criticised for failing to push for tougher action to phase out fossil fuels, the main source of emissions driving the global climate crisis and a key threat to limiting global warming to 1.5 deg C above pre-industrial levels.

After running nearly 36 hours overtime, delegates from nearly 200 nations agreed on the Sharm El-Sheikh Implementation Plan, a 12-page political document setting out a broad range of actions on climate change.

"Our planet is still in the emergency room," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in reaction to the deal.

"We need to drastically reduce emissions now and this is an issue this COP did not address," he said, adding that while a fund for loss and damage was essential, "it's not an answer if the climate crisis washes a small island state off the map or turns an entire African country to desert".

He said the world still needed a giant leap on climate ambition. "Doubling down on fossil fuels is double trouble."

Developing nations have been pushing for decades for a deal to pay for irreparable loss and damage from climate impacts.

The fund, related financial arrangements and structure will take shape over the coming year, led by a specially appointed committee. The aim is to agree the outlines of the fund and sources of financing by the next major UN climate gathering - COP28 - in the United Arab Emirates in late 2023.