COP27 accord criticized as insufficient for people and planet

• The nations of the world consented to help pay for the damage on poor countries.
• They ended marathon climate negotiations without tackling the main cause.
• Delegates approved the compensation fund early Sunday.

First, the nations of the world consented to help pay for the damage an overheating globe is doing on poor countries, but they ended marathon climate negotiations without tackling the main cause – the combustion of fossil fuels.

Delegates approved the compensation fund early Sunday but failed to address a global temperature objective, reducing emissions, and phasing out all fossil fuels.

European Union members and other nations fought back against what they saw backsliding in the Egyptian presidency’s cover agreement and threatened to kill the process.

The amended proposal removed most of the Europeans’ objections but lacked the ambition they wanted.

Frans Timmermans, EU executive vice president, warned his fellow negotiators, “What we have is not enough for people and earth.” “It doesn’t spur major emitters to increase and accelerate emissions cuts.

Timmermans: “We’ve all failed to minimize loss and damage.” “We could’ve done more.”

Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister, expressed frustration.

Large emitters and oil producers are blocking overdue efforts on mitigation and the phase-out of fossil energies, she said.

France claimed the agreement was “lacklustre.”

Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher regretted a “great disappointment” but welcomed the “loss and damage” fund for climate-vulnerable nations.

Antonio Guterres declared, “Our planet is in emergency.” This COP didn’t address the need to reduce emissions dramatically.

Sunday’s accord included a veiled reference to natural gas’s low-emission benefits, despite several nations pushing for a phasedown of the climate-changing fuel.

The new deal does not increase calls for lowering emissions, but it maintains language to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). The Egyptian presidency kept proposing language from 2015 Paris, which included a 2C objective (3.6F).

Since pre-industrial times, the world has warmed 1.1C.

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