3 big things on COP27’s to-do list

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This week, we break down what’s driving this year’s COP27 international climate conference, and how the U.S.’s climate package is shaping the conversation.

COP27 opened this past weekend with a stark message from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to countries as they fight climate change: ​“cooperate or perish.”

It’s a warning that underscores just how hard it’s historically been to get world leaders to work together to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and that will likely continue as they consider these big topics and others over the next two weeks:

• Climate reparations: For centuries, wealthy countries like the U.S. have spewed the majority of the world’s fossil fuel emissions. And as those greenhouse gases exacerbate climate disasters like heat waves and floods, the responsible nations are able to prepare and rebuild while poorer countries are left behind. Discussions of making bigger emitters pay for ​“loss and damage” they brought upon smaller countries are underway, but seem unlikely to make significant progress.
• Updated climate pledges: Leaders agreed at 2021’s COP to ​“revisit and strengthen” their national climate targets over the next year, but just a handful did. Current pledged emissions cuts still leave the world far short of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• Methane emissions cuts: Countries are planning to update a commitment made last year to reduce emissions of methane, a super-potent greenhouse gas.

Also in the eyes of COP27 attendees: The U.S.’s climate package passed this summer. Some U.S. allies say its provisions boosting domestic clean energy and electric vehicle production violate trade agreements. Others are eager to see how last night’s still-unsettled midterm elections will affect the balance of power in Congress and therefore the implementation of the climate spending deal.

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