READING Practice - What is COP27 and why is it important?

By Esme Stallard 

BBC News Climate and Science 

 (Adapted from BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63316362) 

World leaders are discussing action to tackle climate change at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt. It follows a year of climate-related disasters and broken temperature records. 

What is COP27? 

United Nations (UN) climate summits are held every year, for governments to agree steps to limit global temperature rises. They are referred to as COPs, which stands for "Conference of the Parties". The parties are the attending countries that signed up to the original UN climate agreement in 1992. COP27 is the 27th annual UN meeting on climate. It is taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh until 18 November. 

Why is COP27 important? 

The world is warming because of emissions produced by humans, mostly from burning fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal. 

Global temperatures have risen 1.1C and are heading towards 1.5C, according to the UN's climate scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). If temperatures rise 1.7 to 1.8C above 1850s levels, the IPCC estimates that half the word's population could be exposed to life-threatening heat and humidity. 

To prevent this, 194 countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015, pledging to "pursue efforts" to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C. COP27 will focus on three main areas: -Reducing emissions -Helping countries to prepare for and deal with climate change -Securing technical support and funding for developing countries for the above Some areas not fully resolved or covered at COP26 will be picked up: 

- Loss and damage finance - money to help countries recover from the effects of climate change, rather than just prepare for it 

- Establishment of a global carbon market - to price the effects of emissions into products and services globally 

- Strengthen the commitments to reduce coal use

There will also be themed days on issues including gender, agriculture and biodiversity.

Image: Two hands holding a bunch of coal - it is known as the dirtiest fossil fuel 

Credits: Small smiles 

 

Do we expect any sticking points? 

Finance has been long been an issue at climate talks. 

In 2009, developed countries committed to give $100bn (£88bn) a year, by 2020, to developing countries to help them reduce emissions and prepare for climate change. 

The target was missed and moved back to 2023. However, developing nations are also calling for payments for "loss and damage" - the impacts faced now. 

Following intense negotiations, the issue of loss and damage payments is on the official agenda of COP27. Developing countries will also be pushing to have a date set for when they might start to receive payments. 

Developed nations will be looking for more commitment from large developing countries - such as China, India, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa - to move away from coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels. 

There are also pledges from last year's meeting - on forests, coal, and methane - that more countries may support. However, some scientists believe world leaders have left it too late and no matter what is agreed at COP27, 1.5C will not be achieved. 

GLOSSARY 

- Summit: an important formal meeting between leaders of governments from two or more countries 

- Take place: to happen 

- Head towards: go in the direction of 

- Pledge: a serious or formal promise 

- Sticking point: (in a discussion) a point on which it is not possible to reach an agreement 

PRACTICE 

Complete the following sentences with the words from the glossary. Check answer on the comments.

a) All the candidates have given ______ not to raise taxes if they are elected. 

b) The story _______ in the 18th century. 

c) Loss and damage is a major ________ in the debate over environmental issues. 

d) We last saw them _________ Miami. 

e) World leaders will meet next week for their annual economic ______. 

THINK ABOUT IT 

- Do you worry about the environment? 

- What stories have you read or heard recently about the environment? 

- What are the biggest problems facing our environment? 

- What would you do to save our environment? 

- Do you think international meetings on the environment are useful?