COP27: hope and frustration in equal measures

COP27 offered the world’s most powerful governments and business leaders the chance to see climate change from another perspective: through the eyes of the developing world. Whether they will act on what they saw remains to be seen.

There were many encouraging developments and initiatives to emerge. These include moves to ensure more transparency and accountability in net zero goals and the important issue of adaptation and decarbonisation of building materials. And history was made in the final hours, with the establishment of the long-awaited loss and damage fund to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

However, there are still fundamental issues that remain unresolved when it comes to a fair and just transition to a low carbon world. Chief of these is the financial resources required to scale; to make transitions on energy and in the food systems, and to take the 1.5-degree goal off life support.

Corporations and local governments can no longer hide behind unsubstantiated net zero plans and carbon offsetting. This is the message in Integrity Matters, a report from the United Nation’s High-Level Expert Group on the Net Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities, a group of 17 people hand-picked by the UN Secretary General in 2022.

The group has not pulled any punches. Among its 10 recommendations are that corporations, local governments and financial institutions must publish clear plans on how they will get to net zero, with measured and reported milestones along the way; organisations cannot claim to be net zero while continuing to invest in new fossil fuel supplies; and they must decarbonise throughout their whole supply chain rather than relying on often cheap and unregulated carbon credits.

Decarbonising the built environment

Initiatives to tackle the thorny issue of construction’s two heaviest carbon-emitting materials, steel and concrete, were unveiled, with commitments from governments and industry to accelerate decarbonisation efforts.

The Breakthrough Agenda, a coalition of governments from 45 countries which account for over 50% of the world’s GDP, launched at last year’s COP, set out action plans for decarbonisation under five sectors: power, road transport, steel, hydrogen and agriculture. Germany and the UK are co-leading the Steel Breakthrough actions.

Also launched at COP26, the First Movers Coalition is a group of multinational corporations, now 65 strong.  At COP27, the coalition announced that the concrete and cement sectors had joined their group with First Mover companies pledging to purchase at least 10% ‘near zero carbon cement’ by 2030.

Though the built environment is currently a fringe sector at the COPs, many believe it needs a seat at the main table. France and Morocco are leading a  Buildings Breakthrough group with the aim of ensuring that near-zero emissions and resilient buildings are the new norm by 2030. So far 15 countries have signed up with France looking to host a global meeting in 2023.

Egypt used its COP27 presidency to launch the Sharm-El-Sheikh Adaption Agenda which calls for action to make our world climate resilient by 2030, focussing particularly on the most vulnerable communities. Among the actions called for are better homes, smart early warning systems for disasters, nature-based solutions and the increased use of waste as a secondary resource. Battery systems must be part of resilient decentralised power generation and transport infrastructure should be resilient to climate hazards.

Adaptation should be on the risk management agenda of every country – and every business. From a built environment perspective, 80% of the buildings in cities in 2050 already exist today, yet few countries have adequate retrofit programmes in place.

Amongst the positives, there were some significant negatives too. While developed countries appear to be making progress, they are conveniently ignoring the fact that the gap between them and the rest of the world is getting wider.

In Western countries, a common principle is that the polluter pays. Yet that doesn’t seem to apply to climate change. The adaptation fund pledge at COP27 was 35% less than Glasgow despite the UN’s call for more support.

As Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reported, over 1,700 people died and over two million homes were destroyed in recent floods. Pakistan contributes less than 1% to global carbon emissions, yet it is one of the 10 most climate-stressed countries on the planet. Against such a backdrop, pledges such as the US’s $2bn for solar projects in Angola or the EU’s €1bn for adaptation and resilience in Africa feel a bit like trying to use a piece of chewing gum to plug a failing dam.