UK and Egyptian officials vowed Saturday to cooperate on climate change as the current and incoming presidencies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP).

“We affirm our joint commitment to accelerating the fight against climate change during this critical decade,” Egypt’s Foreign Minister and COP27 president-designate Sameh Shoukry, Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad and COP27 ministerial coordinator and envoy and COP26 President Alok Sharma of the UK, said in a statement.

The UK and Egypt agreed to strengthen “bilateral cooperation to fight climate change and to maintain and build on the current momentum for global climate action,” it said.

“We will work together in 2022 and beyond to drive ambitious implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, and to deliver on the outcomes of the Glasgow Climate Pact to keep 1.5 degrees in reach and support developing countries in adapting to the impacts of climate change.

“The UK will give its full support to Egypt in delivering ambitious outcomes at COP27, including ensuring that it delivers for those most vulnerable to climate change,” it added.

The two countries also emphasized “the urgency of action required to address the gaps in ambition across mitigation, adaptation, loss, and damage, and finance, and the importance of responding to the best available science in this respect,” according to the statement.

“We recognize that significant progress was made at COP26, but there is much more to be done - particularly to implement commitments made,” it added.

Last November, countries promised at the COP26 climate meeting to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The 27th session of the COP 27 will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it will be held in November 2022.

By Handan Kazanci

Anadolu Agency

energy@aa.com.tr