5 key takeaways from COP22

At 2am on Saturday 19 November, the gavel came down on COP22 in Marrakech. Billed as the conference for action and implementation, coming soon after the ratification of the Paris Agreement, what we witnessed was a defiant call to action from developing countries in the wake of the US election result, while rich countries continued to neglect the need for new funds to support those most vulnerable to climate change.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. Under the shadow of the US election, COP22 delivered a message that the Paris Agreement is here to stay.

While President-elect Trump has previously questioned whether climate change is caused by humans, we heard the rest of the world clearly say: there’s no going back. Now more than ever, we continue the fight.

2. Developing countries led the way.

China and many other governments reiterated their support for climate action and the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a group of 47 of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, announced a game-changing commitment to power their economies with 100% renewable energy by 2050.

3. But rich countries failed to deliver the funds needed, especially for adapting to climate change.

The ‘Roadmap’ which presents their financial contributions towards tackling climate change shows that by 2020, only 20% of the $100bn rich countries promised back in 2009 would go to helping the poorest adapt to unavoidable sea-level rise, droughts and storms.

4. The prospect of stronger emissions cuts in the next few years remains uncertain.

Without much faster cuts in emissions, the world is still on track for more than a 3 degree celsius rise in temperature, blowing the Paris Agreement’s ambition to limit it to 1.5 degrees out the water.

5. The presidency of the COP now passes to climate vulnerable Fiji.

Oxfam hopes the 'Pacific COP' in 2017 will focus the world's attention on the risk that small islands face, and truly delivers the actions and support needed by climate-vulnerable people everywhere.

The power of your voice

With the power of your voice, Oxfam will fight tooth and nail to protect the progress we’ve made on climate action so far - throughout a Trump presidency in the US, and the many other challenges around the world - and continue to demand action for the poorest, least responsible and most vulnerable.

We have come too far to go back now.

It’s about providing women farmers in Africa with seeds to plant drought-resistant crops and feed their families; it’s about building seawalls so millions who live in coastal areas survive rising sea levels; and it’s about all of us making our voices heard to ensure the millions of people facing extreme impacts right now have to wait no longer for action.

What you can do now

Push world leaders to fight hunger and act on climate change

This entry posted by Sarah Watson, Oxfam Public Campaign Manager (Food & Climate), on 24 November 2016.

Photo: FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images