To address climate change, we need action

Abstract

COP27—the 27th United Nations climate change conference—finished last week. After 2 weeks of negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, leaders from all over the world can now go home and get on with their business. Should they pat themselves on the back for a job well done? Far from it. The conference agenda’s many topics included negotiations for climate finance. Low-income countries pushed for measures such as loss-and-damage funding , which would allow nations to seek compensation after climate disasters largely caused by industrialized nations’ emissions. This marked the first time that this reparation provision has appeared in a COP agenda, and it puts wealthy countries on the spot. I don’t blame low-income nations for asking high-income countries to support the populations that bear the brunt of adverse climate impacts. A number of countries have agreed to chip in to a fund for loss and damages, which is a step in