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UN climate summit kicks off in Egypt in hopes to turn finance pledges into action
The 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) opened on Sunday (Nov 6) in Egypt's coastal city of Sharm El-Sheikh in hopes to turn global climate finance pledges into action.
Lasting till Nov 18, more than 40,000 participants have been registered for the UN climate summit to discuss ways to lessen the negative impacts of climate change and adapting to its repercussions.
British COP26 President Alok Sharma handed over the presidency of the COP27 to Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Shoukry stressed the need to confront the negative effects of climate change during the two-week conference, where more than 120 world leaders will seek possible solutions to climate change challenges.
"Climate change threatens human life, and the development pattern in the industrial field which is no longer sustainable must be changed because this will lead to dire consequences," Shoukry warned.
"We have witnessed during this year painful events in Pakistan, the African continent and various parts of Europe and America. All these events and the destruction and impact represent a lesson to be learned and alarm all over the planet ... to more precaution, and to act quickly to take all necessary measures as per our commitments and pledges," he said.
The COP27 president also underscored the importance of the participation of non-state actors, including the private sector, banks, international finance institutions, civil society, youth associations and indigenous associations, for the sake of an efficient implementation of pledges and commitments.
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"Climate change-related efforts over the past decades were remarkably polarized, which has slowed down progress of the negotiations," Shoukry said, adding the pledge to mobilize 100 billion U.S. dollars per year has not yet been honored.
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, but since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels (like coal, oil and gas), which produces heat-trapping gases.
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