Mahmoud Mohieldin — Egypt's UN Climate Change High-Level Champion — stressed on Wednesday the paramount importance of adopting a holistic approach when addressing climate change in order not to deviate from the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). Such a holistic approach puts into consideration finance, adaptation, loss and damage besides mitigation, he said, warning against using a reductionist approach to climate change, which would minimise action to simply mean decarbonisation, especially that the world is living today in uncertain and challenging times in light of the remnants of the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflict, hiking food and energy prices, and spiralling inflation rates. These statements were part of Mohieldin's opening remarks in Africa Climate Week in Gabon in the presence of Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, and a host of ministers and senior officials from the UN and other African countries. In his speech, the climate champion highlighted the priorities of climate action and the required innovative solutions to deal with the climate change file. According to Mohieldin, a number of developed countries — who have already achieved high levels of economic development and standards of living — are attempting to dictate conditions regarding sustainability that suit their circumstances that conflict with the priorities and challenges of developing nations. He also stressed that the UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP) must shift from making pledges and promises to actual implementation and investments. "New promising ideas need to be implemented, and existing projects must be replicated and scaled up," he added. Mohieldin went on to say that climate action has to also be "regionalised," adding that the COP27 — which will be held in Sharm El-Sheikh this November — is not just about Egypt, but also Africa, the Arab region, and developing economies at large. In this regard, the climate champion referred to the unprecedented move to launch five regional roundtables to catalyse climate investments through projects that provide solutions for climate crises in developing countries. In parallel, Mohieldin pointed out that climate action has to be "localised," referring to the importance of developing a comprehensive and localised investment map of sustainable green and smart climate solutions so that the simple citizen can benefit from such procedures. He also referred to the National Initiative for Smart and Green Projects in Egypt that will result in 18 projects that will be selected through a national competition for the best smart and green projects in six categories: Big/Mega companies, medium companies, small local projects, start-ups, women-led projects, and non-profit community development projects. These 18 projects will be showcased and awarded in the COP27. As for climate finance, Mohieldin stressed the need to see more investments rather than debts, adding that more investments need to come from the private sector — including domestic and international players — to developing countries. Innovations in financial instruments and structures, he added, are needed in developing countries to be able to harness climate investment opportunities. His speech also highlighted the importance of establishing carbon markets. "While some carbon markets are already established in Europe, work needs to be done to establish carbon markets in developing economies and Africa that would be based on international standards," he clarified. According to Mohieldin, country budgets need to be proactive, embedding climate actions and other SDGs at their core, rather than acting upon challenges as they occur, adding that sustainable budgeting would help anticipate problems and opportunities and take measures to deal with them in advance.
