Nearly 200 organisations sign open letter demanding urgent action on mitigation ambition and climate finance ahead of COP27

Letter to the Heads of Delegation 

Deliver Urgent Mitigation Ambition and Climate Finance 

Background: To  ensure successful outcomes in Sharm el-Sheikh, the incoming COP 27 Presidency is convening an informal Heads of Delegation meeting from 13-15 October 2022 in Egypt focusing on Mitigation and Finance. 

We as, Climate Action Network and allies, ask for political leadership in this climate emergency to deliver urgent mitigation ambition and climate finance. This means a rapid and equitable phase out of all fossil fuels, drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the end of this decade to stay below 1.5C, and implementing policies and shifting finance towards a just and sustainable transition for a climate-safe future.    

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – 

To the Attention of Heads of Delegations negotiating on behalf of their governments and constituted groups,

Time is up. The IPCC 6th Assessment Reports have shown that the window of opportunity to stay within the temperature target of 1.5°C is rapidly closing with disastrous effects.

At the recent UNGA, the Secretary General identified the root cause of the climate crisis as our addiction to fossil fuels. This must stop immediately. The windfall profits of fossil fuel companies, who are profiting off the people, must be redirected to address loss and damage and to alleviate the suffering of people facing compounding food and energy crises. The protection of biodiverse and carbon-rich ecosystems like wetlands and tropical forests are crucial for reducing CO2 emissions and storing carbon towards a 1.5°C pathway in line with phasing out fossil fuels.

We remind you, at COP26 the Glasgow Climate Pact expressed alarm and utmost concern that human activities have caused around 1.2°C of global warming to date and stressed the urgency of enhancing ambition and action. The most recent WMO report – United in Science – shows yet again an alarming ambition and implementation gap between Parties’ pledges and what is needed to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement and to secure a climate safe future for all. 

We see climate tipping points being crossed every year and human suffering is mounting. Without urgency of action today, children growing up today will inherit a world where droughts, floods, crop failures and other extreme weather events will become commonplace. In response to the ambition gap and the sense of urgency, COP26 decided to establish a ‘work programme to urgently scale up mitigation ambition and implementation’ (MWP) in this critical decade, and requested its delivery by COP27 complementing the Global Stocktake. The MWP is an opportunity to give countries tools and enhance cooperation to support the implementation and increase ambition of their National Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The tasks on mitigation are:

  1. Define and deliver an ambitious, equitable Mitigation Work Programme by COP27 with the  objective to urgently enhance the ambition and implementation of Parties’ efforts to deliver global aggregate emissions reductions, in order to be in line with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.  
  • The MWP is complementary to the GST, and must be based on equity and fair shares and the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).
  • The MWP should create a check-in and accountability process of Parties’ sectoral pledges and commitments. We stress that voluntary sectoral pledges and commitments must be linked to NDCs and Long Term Strategies (LTS) and provide a readily available opportunity to enhance ambition.
  • The MWP must follow up on the Glasgow Pact provisions on energy by developing a timeline for the phaseout of all fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas, as well as fossil fuel subsidies with developed countries taking the lead. 
  • The MWP must reflect the need that to achieve the Paris goals, all countries will need to cease new oil, gas, and coal exploration and development immediately and set targets for significant reductions in global fossil fuel production and export by 2030, with  wealthy countries moving first and fastest to phase out extraction while  supporting just transition in developing countries.
  • The MWP must ensure that countries’ NDC implementation promotes an equitable and just  transition that respects human rights, children’s rights and results in access to clean, reliable and affordable energy for their populations. It must be supported through international cooperation and governance measures.
  • Ministerial roundtables should be informed by the technical work of the MWP, allowing a political check-in on strengthening and revisiting NDCs and implementation.
  • The role of Non–Party Stakeholders (NPS) towards raising 2030 ambition and implementation should be enhanced, by strengthening the link between their  contributions and efforts by Parties, and by enabling  the contributions of NPSs to the Work Programme through reporting frameworks.
  1. Deliver a COP27 decision which reminds Parties successive NDCs should represent a progression, should reflect its highest possible ambition, can be updated at any time, and that Parties should verify that current NDCs are in line with the IPCC’s latest scientific recommendations.
  1. COP27 must reaffirm the need to provide adequate, scaled-up finance that is equitable and in line with climate justice. We remind you that finance is an enabling condition of ambitious climate action. Current climate finance does not respond to the urgency of needs and the level of ambition required. According to the most recent Needs Determination Report from the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF), analysis of just 78 countries’ NDCs, they will require at least USD 5.8 trillion cumulatively to reach their individual commitments for adaptation and mitigation by 2030. However, the financial requirements as assessed by SCF report are significantly lower in particular for clean energy than the analysis by IPCC (Working Group 3, 2022) for the same timeframe to meet a 1.5°C trajectory by 2030.  

The forthcoming Heads of Delegation meeting on Mitigation and Finance in Cairo this October,  is a moment to show political leadership in this climate emergency.  Governments must cooperate and act in solidarity for the people suffering from climate and interconnected crises to ensure that COP27 urgently raises ambition and provides scaled up finance for implementation in line with equity and fair shares to ensure a climate safe world for all.

Yours Sincerely,

International Organisations

  1. 350.org
  2. Amnesty International
  3. CARE International
  4. Climate Action Network International
  5. Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)
  6. Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
  7. Fast For the Climate
  8. Global Witness
  9. Greenpeace 
  10. Health Care Without Harm
  11. International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute
  12. Plant Based Treaty
  13. Stand.Earth
  14. The Climate Reality Project
  15. War on Want
  16. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) International
  17. WWF International

National Organisations and Regional Networks

  1. 350 Aotearoa
  2. 350.org Japan
  3. AbibiNsroma Foundation 
  4. Action 24
  5. Adarsha Samajik Progoti Sangstha (ASPS)
  6. Africa Climate and Health Alliance
  7. Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)
  8. African Coalition on Green Growth
  9. Afrolinks International Frontiers Ltd 
  10. Aid Organization
  11. Al-Maghazi municipality
  12. An Organization for Socio-Economic Development (AOSED)
  13. Arjon Foundation
  14. Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development
  15. Association for Climate Action Network Eastern Africa (ACANEA)
  16. Association Isaaf Jerada Solidarité et développement 
  17. Association NAKHLA
  18. Bank Information Center
  19. Below2C
  20. Canadian Interfaith Fast For the Climate
  21. Caritas Uganda
  22. Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
  23. Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD)
  24. Centre for Citizens Conserving Environment & Management 
  25. Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal
  26. Centro de Desarrollo Humano (CDH)
  27. Christian Aid UK
  28. Church of Norway International Council
  29. CIDSE
  30. CIMA ONG Ambiental
  31. Citizens Alliance for Saving the Atmosphere and the Earth (CASA)
  32. Climate Action for Lifelong Learners (CALL)
  33. Climate Action Network Africa
  34. Climate Action Network Arab World
  35. Climate Action Network Australia
  36. Climate Action Network Canada
  37. Climate Action Network EECCA
  38. Climate Action Network Europe
  39. Climate Action Network France
  40. Climate Action Network Japan
  41. Climate Action Network Japan
  42. Climate Action Network Latin America
  43. Climate Action Network South Africa
  44. Climate Action Network South Asia 
  45. Climate Action Network Southeast Asia
  46. Climate Action Network Tanzania 
  47. Climate Action Network Uganda
  48. Climate Action Network UK 
  49. Climate Action Network West Africa 
  50. Climate Action Network Zimbabwe 
  51. Climate Action Parry Sound
  52. Climate Emergency Institute
  53. Climate Observatory
  54. ClimateFast
  55. CNCD-11.11.11
  56. Community Action for Healing Poverty Organization 
  57. Community Initiatives for Development in Pakistan (CIDP)
  58. Community Restoration Initiative Project 
  59. Connected Advocacy for Empowerment and Youth Development Initiative 
  60. Coordination Office of the Austrian Bishop’s Conference for International Development and Mission (KOO)
  61. Destination Zero
  62. Diaries of the Ocean 
  63. Dibeen For Environmental Development
  64. Djibouti Nature Organisation
  65. Eco Action Families
  66. EcoEquity 
  67. EcoHimal Nepal
  68. Egyptian Green Party
  69. Electric Boating Association of Canada
  70. Emmaus International
  71. Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ (ECO)
  72. Environmental Alert 
  73. Environmental Buddies Zimbabwe Trust
  74. Environmental Defence Canada
  75. Environmental for life
  76. Environmental Management Trust
  77. Eurodad
  78. Evangelical Lutheran church in Tanzania 
  79. Extinction Rebellion Nigeria 
  80. Fastenaktion / Swiss Lenten Fund
  81. Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) 
  82. Fiji Youth SRHR Alliance
  83. Finnish Development NGOs (Fingo)
  84. Foresight  Association for  Environmental Right  and  Climate Justice 
  85. Forest & Bird
  86. Fossil Free South Africa
  87. Framtiden i våre hender
  88. Fridays for Future U.S.
  89. Fridays for Future Windhoek 
  90. Friends of the Earth Germany/ BUND
  91. Friends of the Earth Ireland
  92. Gallifrey Foundation/SHE Changes Climate
  93. GenderCC- Southern Africa
  94. Global Initiative For Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP)
  95. Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet (GASP)
  96. Green Mind Lebanon
  97. GreenFaith
  98. GreenHacks
  99. Hawaii Institute for Human Rights
  100. Heinrich Böll Stiftung Washington, DC
  101. Human Environmental Association for Development 
  102. Improve your society organization (IYSO) 
  103. Indian Youth Water Network
  104. Indigenous Environmental Network
  105. Initiatives for New Ecological Community Concerns (INECC) 
  106. Institute for circular economy
  107. International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)
  108. IRADO
  109. Joint Effort to Save the Environment (JESE)
  110. Kenya Environmental action network (KEAN)
  111. Klimadelegation e.V.
  112. League of Women Voters of Colorado
  113. League of Women Voters of idaho
  114. League of Women Voters of the United States
  115. Legambiente
  116. Methane Action
  117. Mount Kenya University
  118. National Integrated Development Association (NIDA-Pakistan)
  119. Natural Capitalism Solutions
  120. New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance, Inc.
  121. New Zealand Climate Action Network
  122. No Room For Racism Ōtautahi 
  123. North American Climate, Conservation and Environment (NACCE)
  124. Northern Beaches Climate Action Network
  125. Norwegian Forum for Development and Environment
  126. Our Fish
  127. Pacific Islands Climate Action Network
  128. Parents for Future Tirol
  129. Parents for Future UK
  130. Parliament of the World’s Religions Climate Action Task Force
  131. Participatory Research & Action Network (PRAAN)
  132. Peace Movement Aotearoa
  133. pivot point
  134. Power Shift Africa
  135. Practical Action
  136. Protect Our Winters NZ
  137. Pueblo Action Alliance
  138. Push Sverige/Sweden
  139. R.E.D. Pro Consultants Greece 
  140. Regenerate Africa
  141. Réseau Association Khnifiss
  142. Réseau Étudiant pour une Société Écologique et Solidaire (RESES) 
  143. Royal Scientific Society (RSS)
  144. Ruya Foundation for Training and Development 
  145. Save the Children International
  146. Scientific Society for Energy Studies and Research 
  147. Seas At Risk
  148. Social Economic Development Society (SEDS)
  149. Social Innovators Design Group
  150. Sociedad Amigos del Viento
  151. Spire
  152. Stamp Out Poverty
  153. Stand.earth
  154. Sustain CreatiK
  155. Talanoa Institute
  156. Tamdeen Youth Foundation
  157. Tensift Regional Centre for Development Marrakesh
  158. The Climate Center
  159. The Global Sunrise Project
  160. The Greens Movement of Georgia / Friends of the Earth Georgia
  161. Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G)
  162. Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development
  163. Vanuatu Climate Action Network (VCAN)
  164. Voice of South Bangladesh.
  165. WildEarth Guardians
  166. WILPF UK
  167. Women’s Voice
  168. Womxn from the Mountain 
  169. Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines
  170. Youth Salmon Protectors
  171. ZERO – Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável
  172. Zimbabwe Climate Change Coalition
  173. جمعية الخير
  174. شبكة خليج الداخلةللمناخ والتنمية المستدامة

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