PHOTOS: COP27 kicks off amid high expectations for climate change solutions

Over 40,000 attendees have gathered to seek solutions to the ravaging climate problems as COP27 begins in Egypt. 

In the next two weeks, world leaders will map out actionable plans to implement the Paris Agreement.

With thousands of people trooping into the conference centre, the atmosphere is high-spirited and filled with anticipation of what will happen in the coming days.

Speaking to TheCable, Bojer Capati, secretary in vice-consul at the Philippines embassy, said COP27 must address the issues of typhoons affecting the country.

Capati said the impact is devastating, and the Philippines should not be made to endure such forever.

“My country has been suffering from the effects of climate change. We are visited by 14 to 15 typhoons every year on average and the intensity has been increasing. Stronger rain means more destruction, more displacement, more problems in food security,” he said.

“Many people are now forced to leave their homes to go to higher land because of flooding and it has to stop at some point. So this is my expectation to address that. Even if naturally our country is on the part of the typhoon, it doesn’t mean we can just endure it forever especially if we don’t know what we are battling. It’s getting stronger, it’s getting more intense, they need to help us.”

Winifred Shonde, environmental ambassador in Tanzania, lamented about the fire on mount Kilimanjaro, adding that climate change is worsening things.

She added that countries need to show a real commitment to mitigate the impacts.

“Each country should have to show real commitment not only discussing but they have to put their initiative on the strategies on how to mitigate it [climate change] and that developing countries have to show the initiative on the issue of climate financing, helping these developing countries to meet their goals and strategies with climate change,” she said.

“Like in Tanzania, climate change, like you see right now, there is drought. So automatically, it affects agriculture, which affects a lot of issues. You see even what’s happening at mount Kilimanjaro, that’s the effect of climate change.”

As COP27 is underway in Sharm el-Sheikh, stakeholders and experts hope the conference will address the interests of countries most impacted by climate change.

See photos below: