Global perspective Human stories

COP27

UN Climate Conference COP27
6 November-18 November 2022 | Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
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Faced with a growing energy crisis, record greenhouse gas concentrations, and increasing extreme weather events, COP27 seeks renewed solidarity between countries, to deliver on the landmark Paris Agreement, for people and the planet.

Heads of State, ministers and negotiators, along with climate activists, mayors, civil society representatives and CEOs will meet in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh for the largest annual gathering on climate action.

The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP27 – will build on the outcomes of COP26 to deliver action on an array of issues critical to tackling the climate emergency – from urgently reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience and adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change, to delivering on the commitments to finance climate action in developing countries.

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On Civil Society and Energy Day at COP27, activists protest against oil and gas exploration in Africa.
UN News/Laura Quiñones

Keep the 1.5°C goal alive, experts and civil society urge on ‘Energy Day’ at COP27

The troubling expansion of oil, gas and coal projects, despite science telling us that fossil fuels must stay in the ground to avert the worst impacts of climate change, was the critical issue at the centre of ‘Energy Day’ discussions at COP27 on Tuesday, with many experts fearing that the goal of curbing global warming to 1.5 could be in danger.

Audio
21'31"
UNIC Tokyo/Momoko Sato

COP27 PODCAST: Manels, mansplaining and Mary Robinson

The second half of COP27 has begun and there’s uncertainty in the air regarding the progress of negotiations in the packed conference venue. 

Monday saw a focus on two main themes: water and gender. UN officials were at COP to prepare the ground and raise awareness for a major conference on water, due to take place next year, whilst senior leaders pointed out the inadequate representation of women in the climate action space.

Audio Duration
22'54"
Mural hand painted by the Fearless Collective at the COP27 Youth Pavilion, which creates  public art interventions with women.
UN News/Laura Quiñones

COP27: Week two opens with focus on water, women and more negotiations on ‘loss and damage’

On ‘Women and Water’ Day at COP27, the power of women as key drivers of climate solutions, and the crucial impact that the climate crisis is having on our water supply took centre stage in Sharm el-Sheikh. Meanwhile, the negotiations on the conference outcome continued, with UN officials calling for ‘building bridges’ to deliver on the important issue of loss and damage.

Audio Duration
22'54"
UNIC Tokyo/ Momoko Sato

COP27 PODCAST: Beans, bugs, and a better deal for farmers

Saturday is a working day at COP, allowing negotiators just one day to catch their breath, before the really hard work of hammering out some kind of outcome document begins on Monday.

The theme of the day is agriculture and adaptation. We hear from the UN agencies that focus on agriculture (FAO and IFAD), and Conor and Laura explore options for sustainable diets. Beans and bugs are on the menu!

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Music: Within the Earth, Ketsa

Audio
21'22"
UN Video/ Runa A

COP27 PODCAST: Now the hard work begins

COPs are a marathon, not a sprint. During the first week, country negotiators set the parameters for the serious, and often exhausting, horse-trading that begins next week, when ministers fly in, with the aim of hammering out a consensus agreement by the end of the conference. On today’s show, Laura and Conor speak to Selwin Hart, the UN Secretary-General’s special advisor on climate, and Rueanna Haynes, a climate negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), about the progress made so far; and Conor sits down with Lily Cole, model, environmental activist and advisor to the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), on how to bring the huge environmental cost of the fashion industry under control. Music: Within the Earth, Ketsa
Audio
25'
UN News/Laura Quiñones

COP27 PODCAST: The appliance of science

On Thursday, day four of COP27, the 2022 “10 Insights in Climate Science Report" was released, and the leading scientists involved declared that the world cannot adapt its way out of the climate crisis: emissions must be cut as a matter of urgency.

Conor and Laura discuss the report, and speak to climate activists and leading scientists on today’s show: one thing the two groups have in common is a focus on greenwashing, and compensating developing countries for the damage the crisis is inflicting on their economies and peoples.

Audio
20'31"