October 31st, 2022
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EG / WASHINGTON, DC – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be in Sharm El-Sheikh and available for comment during the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) from November 6 – November 18.
COP27 is taking place as climate impacts are raging across the globe, from unprecedented floods in Pakistan to continued drought across Africa, record destruction by forest fires in Europe, and intensified storms in North America. Each event underscores that climate change is a human rights crisis. The only way out is by acting urgently to keep warming below 1.5°C, centering people in responses to the climate emergency, and equitably addressing its mounting impacts. To do so requires: rapidly phasing out fossil fuels, rejecting speculative techno-fixes and far-off promises of mid-century “net-zero” without accountability, and at the same time providing remedy for those people whose rights are already being harmed and whose lives and livelihoods face existential threats.
CIEL experts will be closely following COP27 negotiations, monitoring States’ ambition in pursuing action necessary to limit warming to 1.5°C, including ending reliance on fossil fuels, drastically reducing plastic production, and curbing other drivers of the climate emergency. They will be paying particularly close attention to the prevalence of false solutions to the climate crisis, including techno-fixes such as carbon capture, direct air capture, and blue hydrogen, carbon offsets, and “net zero” greenwashing, all of which are dangerous distractions from the real, necessary, and viable solutions to the mounting climate crisis.
CIEL staff will monitor negotiations to ensure that key outcomes are ambitious and compliant with States’ human rights obligations, including the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Given the restrictions on public participation at COP26 and the Egyptian government’s history of shutting down protests and cracking down on dissent, CIEL staff will be paying particularly close attention to what happens before, during, and after COP27.
CIEL Experts in Sharm el-Sheikh:
(All participating CIEL staff have Blue Zone accreditation.)
Nikki Reisch — CIEL Director of Climate & Energy, focusing on the role of fossil fuels in the climate crisis, false climate solutions (including carbon capture and storage (CCS), direct air capture (DAC), blue hydrogen, and geoengineering), net-zero plans, climate litigation, ISDS/Energy Charter Treaty, the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the climate impacts of plastics. Nikki will be in Sharm El-Sheikh from November 12th – November 19th. Follow Nikki on Twitter.
Sébastien Duyck — CIEL Campaign Manager for Human Rights and Climate Change and Senior Attorney specializing in the intersection between human rights and climate change, including promoting the right to a healthy environment, the integration of human rights in national climate commitments, and promoting public participation. Seb will be in Sharm El-Sheikh from November 3rd — November 19th Follow Sébastien on Twitter.
Erika Lennon — CIEL Senior Attorney specializing in Article 6, Paris implementation guidelines, climate finance, Green Climate Fund, social and environmental safeguards, and redress mechanisms. Erika will be in Sharm El-Sheikh from November 6th — November 19th. Follow Erika on Twitter.
Lien Vandamme — CIEL Senior Campaigner specializing in human rights and climate change, and following negotiations on loss and damage and the Global Stocktake. Lien will be in Sharm El-Sheikh from November 5th to November 19th. Follow Lien on Twitter.
Francesca Mingrone — CIEL Attorney following negotiations on Action for Climate Empowerment. Francesca will be in Sharm El-Sheikh from November 6th — November 19th. Follow Francesca on Twitter.
Additional availability:
Carroll Muffett — CIEL President and CEO focusing on climate litigation, corporate climate denial, carbon capture and storage (CCS), direct air capture (DAC), and carbon dioxide removal (CDR), the climate impacts of plastics, the role of fossil fuels in the climate crisis, and the connection between fossil fuels and the war in Ukraine. Carroll will be following negotiations remotely. Follow Carroll on Twitter.
Lili Fuhr — CIEL Deputy Director of Climate & Energy following negotiations on fossil fuel supply, and false climate solutions (including geoengineering). Lili will be following negotiations remotely and is based in Berlin, Germany. Follow Lili on Twitter.
Steven Feit — CIEL Senior Attorney following corporate climate denial, carbon capture and storage (CCS), direct air capture (DAC), carbon dioxide removal (CDR), false climate solutions, and the climate impacts of plastics. Steven will be following negotiations remotely. Follow Steven on Twitter.
To schedule an interview, please contact:
Cate Bonacini, press@ciel.org, +1-202-742-5847 (desk), +1-510-520-9109 (WhatsApp)
Photo credits: Irina Nakonechnaya via Unsplash