COP and Climate Change Adaptation

The Conference of Parties (COP), also known as the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), adopted the Kyoto Protocol, which set climate targets until 2020 at the third COP conference in 1997. Beyond 2020, the Paris Agreement was created and adopted to meet climate goals. In relation to climate change adaptation, Article 7 of the Paris Agreement set the "Global Goal on Adaptation" (GGA) to meet global adaptation goals. At COP26 held in Glasgow, UK, last year, the need for further discussion on GGA was confirmed, and a comprehensive 2-year "Glasgow-Sharm El Sheikh Work Programme on GGA" was launched in preparation for COP27 to discuss further and implement GGA. The COP27 held this year will be held in Sharm El Shake, Egypt, from November 6th to 18th, 2022.

COP27 and Climate Change Adaptation in Africa

Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to the effects of climate change despite emitting fewer greenhouse gases than other developed countries. For example, the agricultural sector cannot cope with the climate crisis, and it is threatening the livelihoods of African people. According to the latest report by the IPCC, 55-62% of the working population in sub-Saharan Africa engages in agriculture, which is one of the sectors most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. However, there are insufficient funds and training to adapt to the effects of the changing climate. As a result, rising temperatures, droughts and natural disasters are causing a decline in the quality and quantity of crops in many areas, which are also linked to poverty, malnutrition, and economic recession. There is a necessity for progression in funding and increasing awareness of information for securing people’s livelihoods. To protect the livelihoods of the people in African countries, the host country (Egypt) of this year’s COP27, recognizes food security as one of the key agendas.