Global Greens Statement: COP27 Demands

The global climate emergency is here.

Governments are failing in their responsibilities on the Paris Agreement to limit average global temperature rise to 1.5°C. 

Global Greens remain deeply concerned that weak emissions reduction targets, broken promises on climate finance, and inadequate funding to adequately address loss and damage severely jeopardizes human wellbeing and future prosperity, particularly in the Global South.

We urge all countries to immediately and ambitiously commit to greater climate action to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C. We demand that the international community “phase out” coal by 2030, and oil and gas by 2040. All new fossil fuel exploration and expansion must stop immediately and all existing fossil fuels must be rapidly phased out. Further, the radical downscaling of the fossil fuel industry demands a just transition.

Governments in the Global North have broken their promises to deliver $100 billion dollars a year for climate change adaptation and loss and damage to vulnerable and developing nations. We demand that the Loss and Damage Finance Facility, proposed at Glasgow, be established and fully funded at COP27. Global North countries must provide adequate, appropriate, and additional financial aid to support developing countries suffering the worst effects of the climate crisis. 

Tackling the climate emergency also requires countries to effectively address the interconnected crises of soaring inequality, creeping authoritarianism, and eroding civic and democratic rights. Electing to have COP hosted in Egypt only undermines this and sends the wrong message.

Despite significant geopolitical tensions, the international community must work together to protect human rights and implement greater action on climate change. Global Greens will advocate for underrepresented, marginalised and vulnerable communities at COP27 to ensure that their voices are heard. 

We envisage a fair, just and healthy world for all built on core Global Greens principles of ecological wisdom, social justice, participatory democracy, non-violence, sustainability, and respect for diversity. Governments must implement bold, sustainable, equitable, and inclusive action to address climate change and advance climate justice.

But we are running out of time. There is no second earth. We need decisive action now. 

COP27 is humanity’s last best opportunity to deliver meaningful action on climate change.

1. CLIMATE JUSTICE

We demand that climate justice principles are incorporated into all events, discussions, and negotiations at COP27. Climate justice and social justice are inextricably linked; we cannot solve the climate crisis without simultaneously addressing social justice. All actions and commitments on climate change must be inclusive, diverse, feminist, and support indigenous sovereignty and rights. 

We call upon the Global North to provide unprecedented financial support to deliver funding for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage activities. Climate finance must acknowledge that the climate crisis is built upon historical injustices and provide the necessary reparations to developing countries in the Global South. 

Governments should note that present inaction embeds future injustices. All countries must immediately implement policies that rapidly decarbonise for net-zero. We call upon all governments to develop and implement an ambitious pathway to achieve the 1.5°C target, and ensure this is fully inclusive and with just transitions. No-one can be left behind.

To appropriately and comprehensively address the climate crisis, people from the Global South and Indigenous people must be actively included in the negotiations at COP27. We must have complete equity of participation and representation of voices at all COPs, including gender balance and representation in all aspects of the climate negotiations. Global Greens will amplify the voices of underrepresented, marginalised and vulnerable communities, particularly those most threatened by the climate crisis. 

2. LOSS AND DAMAGE

Many of the world’s peoples and nations have been impoverished by centuries of colonisation and oppression, huge structural inequalities and an ecological debt owed by rich nations to those that have been exploited.  This debt must be repaid now. 

We demand that all climate finance commitments be honoured and increased. Climate Justice and the Loss and Damage agenda must be central to the distribution of finance.

We support the Global South in calling for the establishment of an international loss and damage financing facility. Global South countries have contributed the least to global warming but are suffering the worst effects of the climate crisis. Inaction on Loss and Damage only exacerbates this inequality and injustice. We further demand that all funding is separate and additional to existing commitments for mitigation, adaptation, and development assistance. 

However, climate justice and social justice are inextricably connected. Mechanisms and safeguards must be implemented to ensure that climate funding is provided to directly support vulnerable communities, not uphold undemocratic regimes. Loss and damage finance must be contingent on each country’s compliance with human rights and democratic practices. Climate finance should directly support local communities harmed by the climate crisis and must not exacerbate poverty, exploitation or inequalities, either within or between countries. Climate finance must serve all people and our natural environment, not the wealthy few.

3. MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION

We demand that all governments honour and fully implement the Paris Agreement. All governments must urgently rachet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to be commensurate with the 1.5°C target outlined in the Paris Agreement. 

According to the United Nations Environment Programme report, ‘Emissions Gap Report 2022’, current NDC ambitions will not limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C or well below 2°C. The UN has found that there is no credible pathway to 1.5C currently in place. Without additional action, current policies will lead to global warming of 2.8°C by 2050. Even the implementation of unconditional and conditional NDC scenarios only reduces this to 2.6°C and 2.4°C respectively. Although the NDC mechanism has facilitated some progress, these targets must be significantly strengthened and urgently implemented to achieve net-zero.

We call on all governments to swiftly defund fossil fuel projects, and governments of Global North to provide unprecedented reparations in the form of grants to facilitate mitigation and adaptation activities in the Global South. Countries with the highest greenhouse gas emissions must demonstrate leadership and rapidly transition towards net-zero economies without reducing the living standards of vulnerable populations.

Politicians must exhibit powerful leadership by working internationally and in solidarity to rapidly decarbonise their industries, economies, and societies. We demand the immediate cessation of all fossil fuel subsidies and the immediate removal of all fossil fuel lobbyists from COP. We also call for the endorsement of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to prevent the proliferation of coal, oil, and gas by ending all new exploration and production.  

4. PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Ecology and democracy are inextricably linked. Global democratic decline is posing significant challenges towards international consensus and collaboration for greater climate action. To fix the climate emergency, we must also address the global rise of authoritarianism that existentially threatens participatory democracy and fundamental human rights. 

All governments must be held accountable for upholding universal human rights and freedoms. The rights to nationality and freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly are the bedrock of participatory democracy. Everyone has the right to express their views and directly participate in the environmental, economic, social and political decisions without the fear of reprisal. We call upon all institutions and organizations to closely monitor and take nonviolent, strategic, and sustained action to protect human rights around the world. 

Global Greens express significant concern about the treatment and violation of human rights in Egypt. The Egyptian Government’s anti-terrorism legislation, restrictions on media and digital freedoms, suppression of independent media outlets, and arbitrary incarceration of journalists and activists threaten the very fabric of democracy. We condemn the censorship of the press in Egypt and reaffirm the right of citizens everywhere to have access to free and independent media. 

We support the Human Rights Watch’s proposal to the UNFCCC secretariat to “develop human rights criteria that countries hosting future COPs must commit to meeting as part of the host agreement”. The climate crisis and social crisis are inextricably connected. A safe, inclusive, and just society can only be built upon the continued participation of the people to achieve vital global climate targets. All host countries must demonstrate their commitment to upholding and advocating for universal human rights. 

Related

Add your news

Share globally relevant news from your region, country, campaign and/or network
Newsletters
en_USENG

Subscribe for Global Greens News