Draft COP27 cover note is a ‘letdown which urgently needs saving’, says ActionAid International

Teresa Anderson, Global Lead on Climate Justice at ActionAid International, said:

“This much anticipated draft cover note from the presidency at COP27 is nothing more than a letdown which urgently needs saving.

“After encouraging language proposed by India and supported by the EU and even US, the language in the draft around phaseout of fossil fuels is far too weak, referring only to ‘unabated coal.’ What we need is an equitable phase out of all fossil fuels if we’re going to ensure the world’s temperature does not rise above 1.5 degrees but this plan won’t achieve that.

“The language on finance is similarly weak, which is particularly concerning given the lack of emphasis on equity throughout the draft. The global climate crisis cannot be resolved unless rich countries take action the fastest, including by providing finance for developing countries. It is the rich world’s failure to mitigate and provide climate finance that has led to the urgent need for a Loss & Damage finance facility to be agreed here at COP27.

“We urgently call on the presidency to recover this note.”

To contact the ActionAid media team, email the press office.

About ActionAid 

ActionAid is a global federation working with more than 15 million people living in more than 40 of the world’s poorest countries. We want to see a just, fair, and sustainable world, in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression. We work to achieve social justice and gender equality and to eradicate poverty.