As part of the delegation of the European Union to COP27, local and regional leaders have discussed with the Czech Presidency, the European Commission, and the European Parliament concrete ways to strengthen climate governance and help citizens face global warming and unprecedented energy prices
The impact of the Russian invasion on Ukraine and of the energy crisis in global climate commitments, support for local and regional authorities to adapt to global warming, addressing loss and damage in most vulnerable countries, and a greater role for cities and regions in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. These are some of the key points discussed today at the Multilevel Climate and Energy Dialogue on COP27, organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in partnership with the
Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Today's Multilevel Climate and Energy Dialogue brought together all levels
of government to discuss the EU's position on COP27 and the key stakes of
the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), which will take place on
6-18 November in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, under the headline 'Together for
implementation'.
In her opening statement,
Alison Gilliland
(IE/PES), Dublin City Councillor and CoR rapporteur of the opinion
‘Towards a structural inclusion of Cities and Regions in UNFCCC
COP27’
, said
“European cities and regions are facing unsustainable energy and living
costs, undermining, and even stopping their actions to reach EU climate
goals. In these circumstances, we acknowledge the challenge to put
forward green solutions with local and regional leaders, but there can
be no way back to old polluting practices. The EU delegation to COP27,
including the European Committee of the Regions delegation, will
encourage cities and regions across the EU and around the globe to come
forward with more ambitious targets and policies and demand support for
them.”
Olgierd Geblewicz
(PL/EPP), President of West Pomerania Region and rapporteur of the opinion
‘The CoR's role in boosting subnational climate diplomacy ahead of
COP27 and COP28’
, stressed that
“In the current global context, COP27 will be about optimising
resources and improving synergies between all levels of government to
foster implementation rather than brave new commitments. We should
avoid any blockage in climate talks and find new avenues for reducing
emissions. A greater role for subnational governments in climate
diplomacy can unlock better implementation and bring stronger
commitments. I, therefore, reiterate the need to establish a system of
Regionally and Locally Determined Contributions (RLDCs) as
complementary to the National ones. Further support for city diplomacy
as a tool to accelerate climate action by sharing experiences and
projects on climate adaptation and mitigation.”
European Commission representative Jacob Werksman,
Principal Adviser for International Aspects of EU Climate Policy, recalled
that:
"Success at COP27 depends on all Parties staying the course of ambition
set out so clearly in Glasgow — despite the additional challenges of
war, the energy and food crises and rising inflation. European
leadership at the local and regional level in support of European
climate policy and in staying the course will be essential to underpin
the credibility of European global leadership in Sharm-el-Sheikh".
Representing the Presidency of the EU Council, Pavel Zamyslicky, Director of Energy and Climate
Protection of the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic,
declared: "
COP27 represents another important milestone in the global climate
negotiations and we hope for the successful implementation of all the
initiatives launched last year in Glasgow."
One of the major achievements of COP26 is the
Glasgow Climate Pact
, which requests countries to revisit and strengthen their 2030 climate
targets by the end of 2022. In his concluding remarks, Pavel Zamyslicky stressed that "local and regional
authorities' action is absolutely key for implementing climate mitigation
and adaptation action as much as for building resilience'.
From the European Parliament,
J
avi López
(S&D)
and
Petros Kokkalis
(EPP)
, co-rapporteurs of the
EP Resolution on COP27
took the floor.
MEP Kokkalis
said
"The stakes are high for COP27. All governments must revisit and
strengthen their climate pledges. The EU must play a leading role as
only 15 countries globally have revised their Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDCs). The climate crisis is ravaging people's lives and
ecosystems all over world. We must therefore urgently define a global
goal on adaptation and translate it into measurable outcomes."
MEP López
said:
"Despite the pledges made by Parties at COP26 in Glasgow, global
climate targets and action remains insufficient. The commitments made
so far by the signatories to the Paris Agreement will result in global
temperature rise of 2.7° C by the end of the century. The increase in
global energy-related CO2 emissions of over 2 billion tonnes in 2021
compared to 2020 was the largest year-on-year increase in history in
absolute terms. We need to strengthen international coalitions for a
high-ambition, high-environmental integrity outcome at COP27."
Both MEP Kokkali and López supported the CoR proposal of developing a
system of Regionally and Locally Determined Contributions to complement
national pledges.
The
CoR delegation to COP27
will be led by President Vasco Alves Cordeiro. In addition to
Alison Gilliland
(IE/PES) and
Olgierd Geblewicz
(PL/EPP), other members of the CoR delegation to COP27 that took part in
the dialogue include
Vincent Chauvet
(FR/Renew Europe), Mayor of Autun,
Marieke Schouten
(NL/Greens), Alderman of the municipality of Nieuwegein,
Jakub Chełstowski
(PL/ECR), Marshal of the Śląskie Voivodeship,
Andries Gryffroy
(BE/EA), Member of the Flemish Parliament, and
Rafał Trzaskowski
(PL/EPP), Mayor of Warsaw.
Background information.
The upcoming UNFCCC COP27 will be held at a turning point in history. The
two reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
published this year confirmed that the window to secure a liveable future
is closing fast and the implications of the war in Ukraine on energy supply
and prices threaten to impact international climate negotiations. The
European Union, under the leadership of the Czech Presidency, will need to
continue spearheading global climate action, ensuring that the energy
crisis does not endanger the Paris Agreement goals and that the pledges and
announcements on mitigation, adaptation and climate finance made at COP26
in Glasgow are implemented.
Click here
to access the CoR web portal on COP27.
CoR draft opinion on
‘Towards a structural inclusion of Cities and Regions in UNFCCC
COP27’.
CoR draft opinion on
‘The CoR’s role in boosting subnational climate diplomacy ahead of
COP27 and COP28’.
This is the fifth Multilevel Climate and Energy Dialogue since this CoR
initiative was launched in 2020.
2022 IPCCC report 'Mitigation of Climate Change.'
2022 IPCCC report 'Impact, Adaptation and vulnerability.'
Contacts:
CoR:
David Crous /
david.crous@cor.europa.eu
/ +32 (0) 470 88 10 37