UN climate talks in Egypt head into overtime

Sameh Shoukry, president of the COP27 climate summit, center, speaks during the closing plenary session at the COP27 UN Climate Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. (AP)

• Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told delegates that the negotiations would spill into Saturday

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt: UN climate talks were extended by a day Friday in an effort to break the deadlock as nations tussle over funding for developing countries battered by weather disasters and ambition on curbing global warming.
Representatives from nearly 200 countries have gathered at the COP27 in Egypt for two weeks with the aim of driving forward action on climate change as the world faces a worsening onslaught of weather extremes.
But wealthy and developing nations were struggling to find common ground on creating the fund, and on a host of other crucial issues, with only hours before the summit was scheduled to end in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who chairs the COP27 talks, told delegates that the negotiations would spill into Saturday, a delay not unusual in such sprawling UN climate talks.
“I remain concerned at the number of outstanding issues,” he said.
The daunting list of tasks includes finding agreement on reaffirming a goal to limit average warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, which scientists say is a safer guardrail to avoid the most dangerous impacts.
Rich countries are also under pressure to finally fulfil promises to provide $100 billion a year to help developing countries green their economies and adapt to future impacts, and to hammer out future finance plans.
But for many vulnerable countries, the defining issue at the conference is money for the “loss and damage” caused by climate change — a controversial issue previously blocked by wealthy countries fearful of open-ended liability.
Dr. Mohamed Sabry El-Tawabty, a member of the UN Youth 2030, extended his thanks to all the global attendees that took part in the two-week summit, particularly the youth.
“We also extend our thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of this forum and to all the youth of the world who work diligently and effortlessly to preserve the climate by all means and methods,” he said.
“We look forward, after the end of this forum, to start working effectively and achieve what (we) ...have agreed upon over the past weeks,” El-Tawabty also said, adding: “The time for talking has ended immediately after the conclusion of this forum.”
(With AFP)