Before COP28, a tripartite declaration calls out on the climate “emergency”
In a two-page document consulted by AFRIK 21, Sameh Shoukry, Alain Donwahi and Huang Runqiu, who are leading players respectively in the fight against global warming, desertification and the loss of biodiversity, call for pooling efforts to address the climate emergency.
Only three weeks left and the 28th United Nations Climate Conference of the Parties (COP28) opens. From November 30 to December 2, 2023, key players including governments, civil society organizations (CSOs) and even businesses who are constantly being singled out for industrial pollution will gather in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. (WATER). Objective, to evaluate progress in mitigation, adaptation and climate resilience on the five continents.
But before the high mass, three emblematic figures of the ecological transition send a message to the planet to meet the challenge of the climate emergency. These are Sameh Shoukry, president of COP 27 and current Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alain Donwahi, president of COP15 on desertification and former Ivorian Minister of Water and Forests, as well as Huang Runqiu, president of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15) and Chinese Minister of Ecology and Environment.
In their joint declaration, they first recognize the lack of capital which has significantly slowed down the implementation of the 17 goals (SDGs) in developing countries before noting that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Climate Fund Global Environment (GEF) which have just replenished their resources for the second and eighth time respectively “are able to increasingly meet the financing needs of multi-sectoral projects and programs”.
A call for stronger cooperation
In the following lines, Sameh Shoukry, Alain Donwahi and Huang Runqiu Huang Runqiu suggest strengthening cooperation on a global scale in order to better prevent or mitigate land degradation, loss of biodiversity and climate change, the consequences of which ( food insecurity, floods and droughts) are no longer in doubt these days.
“Countries, businesses and communities can draw inspiration from the clear ambitions, goals and principles of each Rio convention . The upcoming meetings of the Conferences of the Parties will be important opportunities to foster collaboration at all levels and prepare the ground so that no one is left behind in our quest for a sustainable future for humanity,” conclude the three ministers . .
