COP27: Timmermans & Rutte disappointed with outcome of UN climate summit

The COP27 climate agreement in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, ended in disappointment for the European Union, said Frans Timmermans, the European Commissioner and Vice-President of the European Commission. Countries reached an agreement at the UN climate summit, about a day and a half after the summit was supposed to have ended. Reaching the final agreement essentially brought the COP27 to an end.

During the extension of the climate summit, the nearly two hundred countries still had to reach an agreement on many points. That eventually succeeded, but the EU considers the result insufficient, said Timmermans.

At the UN climate summit, nearly two hundred countries agreed to set up a climate damage fund. This is intended to compensate for damage in developing countries as a result of climate change. However, almost the same agreements were already made at the climate summit during last year's summit in Glasgow, which is why various parties have called it a disappointing outcome.

“The climate summit COP27 is taking a major step towards helping vulnerable countries” cope with damages caused by climate change, said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. “It is disappointing that too few steps have been taken to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. It's not enough, more is needed,” Rutte continued in his first response to the COP27 agreement.

”We will continue to work hard to accelerate our climate approach.”

Dutch Climate Minister Rob Jetten was also disappointed with the results achieved during the UN climate summit, he said on Sunday morning. "In a year with many extreme weather events and alarming climate reports, we have failed to make significant progress in reducing CO2 by all high-emitting countries. That is extremely disappointing."

At the same time, the minister said that a breakthrough has been achieved on the theme of climate damage. "That is extremely important for vulnerable countries that are already experiencing this, often without contributing much to climate change themselves. This step will help restore trust between the global north and south. And will hopefully make it possible for new breakthroughs for a real acceleration in our climate approach."

Timmermans remained critical and thinks that, "This agreement is too small a step forward.” According to the Dutchman, too many countries are afraid to make the necessary efforts to reduce climate change and called on the participating countries to recognize that the agreement falls short.