Rishi Sunak arrives as Cop27 to discuss climate compensation – follow live

Jump to contentSign up to our newslettersSubscribeNewsSportsVoicesCultureLifestyleTravelPremiumCloseCop27: From world leaders to celebrities – who is attending the climate summit?British prime minister Rishi Sunak has arrived at the global climate summit Cop27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, as world leaders, scientists, and activists gather for the next two weeks to hash out the pacts urgently needed to limit planetary catastrophe.It has been a tumultuous 12 months since the last summit in Glasgow. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to global energy shortfalls, triggering cost of living crises in rich countries and leaving some poorer nations on the brink of famine.There has also been a wave of disasters triggered by the climate crisis – from devastating flooding in Pakistan and western and central Africa, to wildfires and deadly heatwaves across Europe, and Hurricane Ian’s decimation of Florida. On the first day of the summit, delegates agreed to discuss whether rich nations should compensate poor countries most vulnerable to climate change for their suffering.’This creates for the first time an institutionally stable space on the formal agenda of COP and the Paris Agreement to discuss the pressing issue of funding arrangements needed to deal with existing gaps, responding to loss and damage,’ Cop27 president Sameh Shoukry told the summit opening on Sunday.1667802643This year’s flood in Nigeria has affected millions of people: homes, farms, schools – our country has lost billions of dollars to the damages.It has affected more than two-thirds of Nigeria, which makes it a total disaster. Yet this is just one of the several realities of the climate crisis we are faced with. This has been our reality for a very long time.Currently, in my region – west Africa – the climate crisis is exacerbating armed conflict and violence between farmers and herders, due to resources control and the loss of livelihoods. It is the same in other regions of Africa.Climate change is driving hunger, food insecurity and poverty due to environmental instability. It is so widespread that a simple ‘loss and damage fund’ is not negotiable, writes Oladosu Adenike.Cop27: Just a single crisis can displace millions of people – let alone multiple crises. We are in a race against time, writes Oladosu AdenikeAlisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 06:301667801086Brazil’s newly-elected president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is reportedly in talks with two other major rainforest nations to form a strategic alliance in an effort to unlock conservation funding at the Cop27 climate summit.Before winning the general elections, Lula began reaching out to Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) about forming a united front of tropical forest countries, nicknamed ‘Opec for rainforests’.The three nations combined are home to 52 per cent of the world’s remaining primary tropical forests, which are crucial to prevent climate catastrophe.’An alliance of countries such as Brazil, Indonesia and the DRC – who all face similar threats – can put pressure on richer countries to accelerate efforts to stop deforestation,’ Annisa Rahmawati, head of Indonesian conservation group Satya Bumi, told Reuters.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 06:041667799943Hundreds of environmental activists blocked private jets from leaving Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in a demonstration on the eve of the Cop27 climate conference in Egypt.Footage showed Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion activists cycling around the planes at the transport hub, before others sat down in front of private jets to prevent them from leaving.Hundreds of other climate activists occupied the airport’s main hall and carried signs that ‘more trains’ and ‘restrict aviation’.Dewi Zloch of Greenpeace Netherlands said the activists want ‘fewer flights, more trains and a ban on unnecessary short-haul flights and private jets.’Dewi Zloch of Greenpeace Netherlands said the activists want ‘fewer flights, more trains and a ban on unnecessary short-haul flights and private jets’ Alisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 05:451667798564World leaders at the Cop27 summit in Egypt have agreed to negotiate for the first time whether rich nations should compensate vulnerable poor countries for their suffering related to climate change.Funding for countries that have suffered permanent losses and irreparable damage from the climate crisis, termed ‘loss and damage’, has been placed on the agenda.’Getting finance for Loss and Damage in the agenda for Cop27 is a definite win for developing countries,’ Dr Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) in Bangladesh told The Independent in Sharm el-Sheikh.He added that the next step would be to ‘get the fund set up by the end of Cop27′.Louise Boyle and Stuti Mishra report.Over the next few days, countries will discuss the shape and financing of the fund Alisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 05:221667797034South Africa needs nearly $84bn over the next five years for its plans to cut carbon emissions and transition to cleaner energy while supporting the affected communities, president Cyril Ramaphosa said.At last year’s climate conference in Glasgow, first-world nations committed $8.5bn to help South Africa cut its reliance on coal, which is used for the bulk of its electricity generation.However, according to Mr Ramaphosa, South Africa needs far more than what was pledged at Cop26.’The scale of funding that is required to achieve our country’s ambition is significantly higher, much higher than the funding that has been offered,’ Mr Ramaphosa said last week.’In going to COP27, that is the message we will be taking forward.’Alisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 04:571667795446Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is the chair of the G77 group of developing nations, has arrived in Egypt to attend the Cop27 climate summit, where he is expected to urge the international community to deliver on its commitment to climate finance along with the loss and damage fund.Compensation paid by the international community to countries hit by climate disasters is one of the key agenda items for the summit in Egypt.’Extreme climatic events in Pakistan and the Horn of Africa this year have showcased globalisation of climate change. Turning a blind eye to its lethal effects will be criminal,’ Mr Sharif said in a tweet.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 04:301667794749World leaders have been warned climate breakdown is close to being ‘irreversible’, as they gathered for the make-or-break Cop27 summit amid accusations of ‘backsliding on promises made’.The UN secretary-general warned world leaders in Egypt – including Rishi Sunak, after his U-turn on attending – that ‘our planet is on course to reach tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible’.Simon Stiell, the UN climate chief, demanded that the promise be kept, saying he is ‘looking out’ at the 165 countries that still needed to move further and faster.’I will not be a custodian of backsliding,’ he said, adding: ‘We know what must be done by everybody everywhere, every single day, doing everything we possibly can. Colleagues, it’s time to get to work.’Rob Merrick and Joe Middleton report.Simon Stiell, the UN climate chief, warned attendees it was ‘time to get to work’ Alisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 04:191667792969British prime minister Rishi Sunak today will tell world leaders at the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt to deliver on their promises to tackle global warming.He is expected to call on governments to deliver on the promises made at last year’s climate summit in Glasgow, when host nation Britain helped to broker a wide-ranging climate pact – much of which is yet to be implemented.’The world came together in Glasgow with one last chance to create a plan that would limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees. The question today is: can we summon the collective will to deliver on those promises?’ he will say, according to extracts released by his office. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 03:491667792213The proceedings of Cop27 in Egypt could be stained by the death of one of the country’s leading rights activists from a hunger and water strike in prison if he is not released within the next few days, Amnesty International said on Sunday.Agnes Callamard, the secretary general of the rights body, said that Egyptian authorities had no more than 72 hours to save the life of jailed dissident Alaa Abd El-Fatteh.’If they do not want to end up with a death they should have and could have prevented, they must act now,’ Ms Callamard said at a news briefing.Ms Callamard said she will be attending the climate summit to push for action on human rights issues related to climate change and immediate action on the case of the British-Egyptian prisoner.Alisha Rahaman Sarkar7 November 2022 03:361667790000’Our planet is sending a distress signal,’ says UN chiefJoe Middleton7 November 2022 03:00Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inRegistration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inCop27Rishi SunakSharm el-SheikhUkraineRussiaPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in