February 21, 2022
Today in Cairo, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry held consultations with Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and COP 27 President Designate Sameh Shoukry. Special Presidential Envoy Kerry and COP 27 President Designate Foreign Minister Shoukry issued the following joint press release.
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The United States and Egypt recognize the urgency of the challenge posed by climate change and the importance of accelerating global efforts on all aspects of the climate change agenda, in particular the need to limit warming to well below 2 degrees C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees C, and to enhance the global response in support of adaptation to climate impacts. In that regard, they welcomed the significant progress achieved in Glasgow at COP 26, including adoption of the Glasgow Climate Pact, completion of the Paris rulebook, and the many announcements of ambitious commitments and initiatives by both Parties and other actors.
Moving forward to 2022, they stressed the need for “Implementation…Plus.” This includes carrying through on existing commitments, including moving to timely implementation at scale and mobilizing flows of support to implement NDCs of developing countries – and doing much more, including strengthening NDCs not yet aligned with the Paris temperature goal, taking into account different national circumstances; redoubling efforts to stabilize long-term climate by decarbonizing the global energy sector; invigorating work to reduce near-term warming by rapidly cutting methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases while ending deforestation; enhancing adaptation efforts; and making financial flows consistent with the pathways towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.
The United States and Egypt emphasized the importance of mobilizing climate finance from all sources toward achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and welcomed the increased pledges made by many developed country Parties and the “Climate Finance Delivery Plan:” Meeting the US$100 Billion Goal” and the collective actions contained therein.
The United States expressed its confidence in Egypt as the incoming President of COP 27. Egypt expressed its appreciation for the leadership demonstrated by the United States in 2021 with regard to mobilizing climate finance and increasing mitigation ambition and looks forward to the United States continuing to play such a role in the climate arena in 2022 and beyond.
Both countries underscored their determination to work together for a successful and ambitious 2022 and COP 27. In light of the importance of strengthened adaptation efforts and this year’s “Africa COP,” Egypt and the United States expressed their determination to strengthen and support adaptation action in Africa, including through jointly hosting an “Adaptation in Africa” event on the road to the COP.
On the occasion of their meeting, Special Presidential Envoy Kerry and Foreign Minister Shoukry, COP 27 President Designate, officially launched the U.S.-Egypt Climate Working Group, which the two sides agreed to establish in November 2021. The Working Group will have two tracks, one focusing on COP 27 and one focusing on bilateral cooperation on a range of mitigation and adaptation-related issues.
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