COP27 Dispatch - November 11, 2022

View this newsletter online Subscribe Review EESI Welcome! Today is decarbonization day at COP27. As discussed yesterday during the conference, the science is clear: human activities are driving the rapid rise of global greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide levels reached their highest concentration in human history this year, up 51% from pre-industrial levels. Reducing these emissions to avert climate catastrophe will require a global effort to rapidly shift away from fossil fuels towards sustainable, clean energy sources, while also embracing energy efficiency, scaling up innovative technologies, and removing carbon from the atmosphere. On decarbonization day, countries discussed their plans for driving down emissions to meet the Paris Agreement climate goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally no more than 1.5 degrees. But the window for limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is quickly closing, and turning plans into action is essential to avoid the very worst climate impacts.   Missed yesterday’s issue? Check it out here! Also, be sure to find EESI's glossary of terms and other helpful guides in the Resources section. If you are in Egypt, catch up with EESI's Executive Director Daniel Bresette and Policy Manager Anna McGinn! To connect, visit us at Booth 14 in Area B or email Anna at [email protected].

President Biden gave a keynote address focused on U.S. climate initiatives at home and abroad. (U.S. Updates) Members of Congress from three Congressional delegations—Senate Democrats, House Democrats, and House Republicans—spoke at numerous events. Check out this tracker for a list of U.S. elected and appointed officials spotted at COP27. (Congress) To address methane emissions, the U.N. announced a new satellite-based system to detect sources of the potent greenhouse gas. (Other News) Sections    Congress  |  U.S. Updates  |  Negotiations  |  Around the World  |  Other News  |  Resources   Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) (right) speaks on a U.S. Center panel with Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) (center right) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) (center left) moderated by Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources Monica Medina (left). Credit: Environmental and Energy Study Institute House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-La.) speaks at a U.S. Center event. From left: Conservative Climate Foundation Co-chairs Rich Powell and Heather Reams, and Reps. John Curtis (R-Utah), Graves, Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa). Credit: Environmental and Energy Study Institute Senate delegation: Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) spoke on a panel moderated by Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources Monica Medina. Cardin emphasized that delay in climate action has a multiplier effect—there are more issues and impacts to address with each passing year. Each of the senators spoke about international climate finance, and they reaffirmed that they stand ready to have these conversations while at COP27. They also spoke about the influence of the fossil fuel industry on U.S. policy and highlighted opportunities to address this through tools such as a carbon border adjustment mechanism and eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. Markey made clear that “we need to talk about justice” within the U.S. and globally. ► EESI Article: “What the Inflation Reduction Act Means for U.S. Engagement at the U.N. Climate Talks” GOP delegation: A delegation of House Republicans presented their vision for energy, climate, and conservation policy at a panel discussion at the U.S. Center. Delegation leader and Chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus John Curtis (R-Utah) connected his commitment to the issue of climate change to his constituents—including those in aptly-named Carbon County, Utah—who strive to leave their land "better than they found it." House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-La.) cited a need to focus on environmentally and economically sustainable climate solutions, including grid modernization and energy efficiency, that could weather political changes from one administration to the next.   President Joseph Biden provides remarks at COP27. Credit: COP27 Twitter Feed Biden’s address: President Biden spoke at COP27 to reaffirm U.S. commitments to climate action at home and abroad. His speech covered a long list of initiatives that the U.S. is leading or partnering on and highlighted the Inflation Reduction Act and the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol as steps that will “shift the paradigm for the U.S. and for the entire world.” Biden announced that yesterday the U.S. government, which he described as the world’s largest customer, became the first national government to require its major suppliers to disclose both their climate risks and their greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, Biden emphasized that “if countries can finance coal in developing countries, there is no reason why we cannot finance renewable energy in developing countries.” To demonstrate this, he announced the U.S.-Egypt partnership to deploy solar energy and take inefficient gas plants offline. This would decrease Egypt’s power sector emissions by 10% and set the country up to submit a new and more ambitious NDC, according to Biden.   U.S. COP27 leadership: To go along with President Biden’s address, the White House published a fact sheet highlighting new U.S. climate initiatives launched at COP27. Notably, the U.S. is updating its U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan to focus on delivering on its goal of reducing methane emissions 30% by 2030.   Reducing emissions from fossil fuels: U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced that the agency is strengthening its proposed oil and gas standards, aiming to reduce methane emissions and energy waste by 87% by 2030 through a Super-Emitter Response Program, leak mitigation, and limited gas flaring. ► EESI Article: “How the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Work Together to Advance Climate Action” State-level climate action: Nevada State Assembly Member Howard Watts discussed how financing tools provided by the Inflation Reduction Act will help leverage private capital and harness new technologies to reduce emissions. “States and local governments have really been on the forefront of many of these initiatives,” Watts said. He explained how the Nevada Clean Energy Fund is positioned to make the most of the new EPA Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund matched with innovative approaches like on-bill financing. ► EESI Article: “New Climate Law Jumpstarts Clean Energy Financing” California climate leadership: California State Senators Bob Wieckowski, John Laird, and David Min spoke on a panel about California’s climate achievements and future opportunities. They discussed encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles, supporting nuclear energy, cutting methane emissions, and spurring hydrogen for heavy-duty transportation. California Public Utilities Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen said: “We have been successful in exporting our policies on clean cars, on clean energy standards, and equity. We want to continue to be successful in leveraging our partnerships around the world to drive greater ambition on climate.” ► EESI Article: “After Summer of Heat Waves and Blackouts, California Enacts Ambitious Climate Legislation” Companies with decarbonization goals: The First Movers Coalition, a U.S.-led network of companies using their purchasing power to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors, led a discussion with some of the companies in their network about accelerating this work. PepsiCo just joined the coalition to support decarbonization of the trucking and aluminum sectors and is aiming to have a completely zero-emission medium-duty fleet, a 30% zero-emission heavy-duty fleet, and source 10% net-zero emissions aluminum by 2030. This event follows an announcement from Tuesday that the First Movers Coalition was expanding into the cement and concrete industry. ► EESI Article: “Looking to COP27, Here’s Where Three Key COP26 Announcements Stand” ​​​​​​​ The closing plenary of the global stocktake technical dialogue. Credit: Environmental and Energy Study Institute Global stocktake: The global stocktake is the ambition-increasing mechanism of the Paris Agreement in which countries assess their collective progress towards the goals of the Agreement on adaptation, mitigation, and means of implementation. This process is intended to spur the development of NDCs that are updated and more ambitious. The first global stocktake began last year and is set to conclude at COP28. Since the start of COP27, countries and other stakeholders have been engaged in technical dialogues that will inform how the first global stocktake is completed. Today was the closing plenary of this technical dialogue, and the next one is set to take place at the next meeting of the Parties to the UNFCCC, called the intersessional, in mid-2023. The goal of this week was to move from the question of what they were doing for the stocktake to how they would carry out the stocktake, which one of the co-chairs said had been achieved. ► EESI Briefing: What’s on the Table for the Negotiations Loss and damage negotiating updates: At an E.U. press conference, Jacob Werksman of the E.U. delegation said that teams have made progress on addressing the issue of loss and damage on a technical level, but now ministers need to be the ones to move things forward by generating proposals. At the moment, there is a split between a group that is committed to addressing loss and damage through strengthening existing systems and a group that wants to establish a new fund for loss and damage at this COP. Werksman said that despite slow progress, he expects the outcome on loss on damage to be substantive. “We see this [as a] process of having to move with a great deal of urgency and a great deal of care,” he said. ► EESI Briefing: Climate Change Loss and Damage   Egypt’s Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad speaking at a COP27 Presidency event about adaptation in Africa. Credit: UNFCCC Just Energy Transition Partnership: The G7 countries, led by the U.S. and Japan, declared that they will launch Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) with India, Indonesia, Senegal, and Vietnam to accelerate decarbonization in those countries. A similar partnership was announced at COP26 with South Africa. Earlier this week, the U.S. Treasury Department announced a $1 billion loan agreement to support U.S. climate commitments, including JETPs.   Fossil fuel emissions: The U.S., in addition to Canada, the E.U., Japan, Norway, Singapore, and the U.K., issued a joint declaration stating: “We commit to taking immediate action to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil energy production and consumption, particularly to reduce methane emissions.” The countries reaffirmed their commitment to the Global Methane Pledge and vowed to adopt policies and measures to eliminate routine gas venting and flaring. ► EESI Fact Sheet: Climate, Environmental, and Health Impacts of Fossil Fuels Fossil fuel subsidies: At a U.N. Development Programme event, panelists discussed how the high energy prices that have followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine should be met with increased investments in clean energy instead of increased investments in fossil fuels. According to the International Monetary Fund, fossil fuel subsidies cost about $6 trillion every year worldwide. Negotiators agreed to a “phase down” of fossil fuel subsidies at COP26. Whether that text will be strengthened or weakened at COP27 will be among the issues resolved next week.  ► EESI Fact Sheet: Proposals to Reduce Fossil Fuel Subsidies Adaptation in Africa: The COP27 Presidency hosted an event with Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry about accelerating adaptation action in Africa. Kerry announced a package of U.S. investments: $28 million for early warning systems in Africa, $25 million to the Africa Adaptation Initiative to launch a new food security accelerator, $24 million to help farmers access insurance after disasters, and $10 million to create a new learning center on climate adaptation and resilience in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad spoke as well, saying “let us move from policy to actual practice.” Conference attendees linger outside the COP27 venue. Credit: UNFCCC Record high emissions: The Global Carbon Project launched the 2022 Global Carbon Budget report, finding that global carbon dioxide emissions increased by 0.8% in 2022, largely driven by emissions from oil and land-use change. If emissions remain at current levels, the report found that it is likely that the window to keeping temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius will be gone in nine years. Check out this analysis by Carbon Brief.   Detecting methane emissions: The U.N. announced a new satellite-based system to detect methane emissions. The Methane Alert and Response System will help implement the Global Methane Pledge by alerting government, companies, and operators to major sources of methane including leaks, allowing them to tackle emissions of the potent greenhouse gas. ► EESI Article: “Addressing Methane Emissions Is Critical for Fighting Climate Crisis” Urban climate change: IPCC authors launched three reports summarizing the key findings of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report for urban policymakers. The three reports focus on the science behind how climate change impacts cities and urban areas and opportunities for adaptation and mitigation. According to Aromar Revi, an IPCC coordinating lead author, “urban climate change mitigation has a huge role in determining the future of the global climate … cities and urban areas offer critical spaces to realize climate resilient development.” ► EESI Briefing: Key Findings from the Newest Global Assessment Report on Climate Change Breakthrough Agenda: Countries added new priority actions under the Breakthrough Agenda, a plan established at COP26 with signatories agreeing to spur the innovation and adoption of clean technologies and climate solutions in clean power, road transportation, steel, hydrogen, and agriculture. The 25 new priority actions set to be accomplished by COP28 include deploying at least 50 net-zero emissions industrial plants, agreeing to set a date to phase out polluting cars and trucks, and driving investment in agriculture research. The United States is one of more than 45 signatories.     New U.N. finance reports: The UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance presented its latest reports examining the state of climate finance, including the current amount of climate finance and progress on the $100 billion per year goal. One takeaway is that  $4.5 trillion in global energy investment is needed by 2050, but current climate finance levels are not on track to meet that mark. In addition, the $100 billion goal was not met in 2020. There is both a lack of clarity on how to measure contributions to this goal and a lack of data for tracking the flow of money. ► EESI Briefing: The Role of International Climate Finance Land Gap: The Land Gap report finds that almost 1.2 billion hectares—about the same area that is used to produce food globally—would need to be dedicated to carbon storage through land-based activities like tree planting to meet carbon removal targets in NDCs. If the carbon removal targets in NDCs are implemented as currently outlined, demand for land would outpace supply. The research suggests that “countries should seek to reduce their expected reliance on land-based carbon removal and must instead make much deeper cuts in emissions,” while also recognizing the value of protecting ecosystems and shifting to agroecology. EESI resources Articles: Quick reads connecting international climate talks to Congress Briefing series: What Congress Needs to Know About COP27 Key Findings from the Newest Global Assessment Report on Climate Change Climate Change Loss and Damage Natural Climate Solutions What's on the Table for the Negotiations? Climate Summit Recap: Key Outcomes and What Comes Next Climate Change Solutions: Biweekly newsletter covering climate, energy, and environmental issues COP27 Announcement Tracker: Key Announcements from the 2022 U.N. Climate Summit COP27 Report Tracker: Key Climate Reports Launched at the 2022 U.N. Climate Summit EESI United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Glossary of Terms Go-to Resources on the Key Themes of COP27 for Week 1 and Week 2 U.S. Leaders at COP27: Members of Congress and Other U.S. Officials at the 2022 U.N. Climate Summit Tracking the negotiations CarbonBrief: Reporting and analysis on the U.N. Climate Talks, with in-depth tracking of country positions in the negotiations. COP27 Resource Hub: World Resources Institute's extensive set of resources on the climate negotiations. Earth Negotiation Bulletin: A play-by-play of the negotiations plus expert analysis from the International Institute for Sustainable Development | @IISD_ENB ECO Newsletter: The climate advocate’s perspective from Climate Action Network International | @CANIntl Background and logistics Egypt COP27 Presidency website: Priorities, details, and logistics for the negotiations | @Cop27P UNFCCC COP27 website: Conference details and all updates on documents produced during the negotiations | @UNFCCC and @UNFCCCDocuments Congressional Research Service: Reports related to the UNFCCC UNFCCC glossary of terms Questions about COP27? Reach out to EESI Policy Manager Anna McGinn with your question and we will get back to you or include the information in an upcoming newsletter. Thanks for reading!   This newsletter covering COP27 will be running from November 7 to November 21. If you thought this newsletter was interesting, forward it to someone you know! If you were forwarded this edition, sign up here. Thank you to EESI staff for their contributions: Anna McGinn, Savannah Bertrand, Emma Johnson, and Amaury Laporte Environmental and Energy Study Institute  Daniel Bresette, Executive Director EESI is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan Congressional caucus to provide timely information and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path.