COP27 Science Day Reiterates Importance of Data and Evidence for Delivering Implementation
COP27’s second thematic day focused on the importance of scientific developments and research to solve the catastrophic long-term problems that the world is facing as a result of climate change.
The various sessions concluded that scientists need to do more to make their data available and understandable to help policy makers fight climate change.
Science Day comprised of panel discussions and events to bring forward the outcomes of the reports and their recommendations, and further enhance engagement of the climate community, practitioners, and different stakeholders to discuss and engage on the linkages and findings related to climate change.
Commenting on Science Day, COP27 President H.E. Sameh Shoukry said, “Science plays a key role in informing the climate process, providing critical evidence and numbers to build the case for action and the urgency of implementation. We hope that all the participants in our thematic day on science leave with a stronger desire for finding science-based solutions and plan for implementation that leaves no one behind.”
COP President Shoukry also added: “While we cannot turn back time on melting glaciers and reverse global emissions, we can stop backsliding on our commitments and slow down, even stop some of the impact of climate change by drawing upon science to find solutions.”
The opening of Science Day kicked-off with a session, “IPCC 6th Assessment Report: How to Accelerate Global Climate Action,” during which the panel reiterated the message that humans have changed climate. Featuring Egyptian Minister of Environment Dr Yasmine Fouad, Egyptian Minister of Higher Education, HE Mohamed Ayman Ashour, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chair, Hoesung Lee, the speakers referenced the warnings from the global scientific and academic community and the need for science-based information to support implementation.
As part of Science Day at COP27, Egypt launched its 1st Vulnerability Assessment Map, which was informed by data from the IPCC that gathered policymakers to support its commitment to planning that is informed by science and evidence.
Also launched at Science Day was the One Health Initiative at the session, “Health and Climate Change: One Health for All: One Vision and One Response”. The session, led by His Excellency Professor Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, along with WHO, UNDP and FAO, laid out ambition to improve the health of all – human and animal – in the face of the impact of climate change.
One Health builds on the learnings, and costs of, COVID-19 where lower- and middle-income countries received the brunt of the disease burden. Egypt’s One Health Action Plan will provide better mitigation to confront this climate change health crisis.
During the day, several panels organized by the Egypt COP27 Presidency panels took place including:
1.Uniting Global Scientific Research Efforts to Tackle Climate Change, wherein the key takeaway was a call for policy makers to use scientific research to help move from assessment to implementation
2.Global and Regional Environmental Conventions, Assessments and Outlooks: Harmonizing Efforts, which urged for the importance of speed in delivering science-based evidence of impact against climate change
3.Africa’s Changing Environment: Improve Africa’s Resilience to Climate Change, which called for African countries to develop systematic approaches to data, to help make informed policy decisions
4.Redirect: The role of research, development and innovation in addressing climate change’ focused on the role of academic communities as coordinators between policy makers and everyday people
5.COP27 Global Stocktake Climate Datathon discussed the role of data in the Global Stocktake, to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement