UK's Presidency of COP26 ends; UN climate summit opens in Egypt

UK's Presidency of COP26 ends; UN climate summit opens in Egypt

Cairo – Mubasher: UK Representative, the UN climate summit (COP26) President, Alok Sharma, handed over the presidency of the annual climate gathering to Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry, who is president designate of COP27.

The UN climate summit kicked off on Sunday in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh. Taking place during 6-18 November, this year’s talks come amidst a period of global disruption and crisis with the aim of discussing ways to lessen the negative impacts of climate change and adapting to its repercussions.

Delegates commenced the two-week negotiation process by approving the conference agenda during the opening plenary session. Moreover, they agreed to discuss whether rich nations should compensate poor countries most vulnerable to climate change.

During his ceremonial opening speech at COP27, Sharma said: “Last November, the world gathered at COP26 against a fractured and fractious geopolitics, as a once-in-a-century pandemic dragged mercilessly on. And yet, leaders recognised that, despite their differences, often profound, cooperation on climate and nature is in our collective self-interest.”

He added: “And thanks to that spirit of cooperation and compromise, we forged together the Glasgow Climate Pact. Collectively we achieved something historic, and something hopeful. With your help: We closed the Paris Rulebook. We made unprecedented progress