Cop27 deal addresses climate destruction but ‘planet still in emergency room’

A historic Cop27 deal to address the devastating effects of the climate crisis is an important step forward, but the failure to cut greenhouse gas emissions means “our planet is still in the emergency room”, the UN secretary general has warned.

A deal was reached in the early hours of Sunday morning in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to establish a fund to compensate vulnerable countries for the irreparable climate damage they have suffered, in a major breakthrough for nations that are experiencing the most serious effects of the climate emergency.

But on the crucial issue of limiting global heating in an effort to avoid the most catastrophic consequences that could result, many feel that the “Sharm” pact is fundamentally lacking.