Leaders from across the world have gathered in Egypt for the Cop27 conference.
The conference made headlines last month when PM Rishi Sunak announced that he would not attend, and would stay in the UK to focus on national issues. The decision was heavily criticised by environmental groups and members of his own party, eventually causing Mr Sunak to u-turn on his announcement, and he has joined other world leaders in Egypt.
His attendance at the gathering in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh alongside leaders such as US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron marks his first outing on the international stage since becoming Prime Minister last month. This will also be the first time the UK will negotiate at climate talks on its own, rather than as part of the EU.
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Here's everything you need to know:
What is Cop27?
It's a climate conference that takes place every year, organised by the UN. This year it's taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, following last year’s conference, Cop26, which the UK hosted in Glasgow. Cop stands for Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).
What will be discussed?
The central issue at the conference is that action is needed to cut fossil fuels and the greenhouse gases driving climate change, as we are currently on course for 2.4-2.6C of warming – which the UN warns would be catastrophic. The UK and other developed nations are also expected to deliver money and support to help poorer nations adapt and invest in clean energy resources.
Another key issue up for debate is addressing loss and damage – the now unavoidable consequences of climate change such as the destruction of crops, homes and infrastructure, which are being felt worst by vulnerable countries who did least to contribute to the crisis.
What is the UK expected to promise?
The UK aims for a global leadership role on the climate crisis, and is urging action at Cop27 to cut emissions and address loss and damage. However, the Government is facing criticism for pushing ahead with new offshore oil and gas licences, late payment to climate funds and gaps in policies to tackle the crisis.
Downing Street said the Prime Minister will be looking to set the seal on last year’s Cop26 summit in Glasgow with more than £200 million in UK funding to protect forests and invest in “green” technologies. Sunak will announce a further £65.5 million for the clean energy innovation facility which provides grants to researchers and scientists in developing countries working on clean technologies – from biomass-powered refrigeration in India to lithium-ion batteries in Nigeria.
Has anything changed since last year?
At Cop26 all nations pledged to bring in new climate plans, and some, including Australia, have stuck to that pledge. But the latest assessments from the UN show climate action plans fall far short of what is needed to limit dangerous climate change.
Scientists have shown that emissions need to be cut by 45% in order to keep temperatures rises to the 1.5C threshold, but the latest assessments show the plans only cut emissions by around 5-10%. Greenhouse gases continue to rise, and there is no credible pathway in place to meeting the 1.5C goal, the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) warns.
What can be done to help those who are suffering the most?
Campaigners want an international loss and damage fund to be established to help developing countries with the loss and damage they suffer. This would involve the developed nations that are responsible for the majority of carbon emissions, usually disproportionate to their size, to pay into the fund.
Developed countries have historically been reluctant to agree to this set-up, but as the impacts of extreme weather worsen around the world – most vividly with the devastating floods in Pakistan this year – the pressure is rising to deliver finance for loss and damage.
How can we negotiate on climate when the world is facing an energy crisis fuelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?
The war in Ukraine did lead to a short-term increase in the use of coal around the world, as sanctions against Russia in response to the invasion meant many nations who usually relied on Russia for gas and oil could not use it. However, in the long-term this has prompted an acceleration in countries taking up clean tech, with the International Energy Agency suggesting it could prove to be a historic turning point for the world.
The invasion will prove another challenge for making progress on the climate crisis, because decisions at Cop27 are made by consensus so an international dispute will impact that, just as the increasingly severe floods, droughts, storms, melting ice and rising seas make it clear that there is no time to lose.
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