Esperança Costa, the Vice-President of the Republic of Angola, travelled to the city of Sharm-el-Sheik, in the Republic of Egypt, for the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, the COP27. Representing the Head of State, João Lourenço, the Vice-President revealed Angola’s strong position on the challenge of climate change. Among firm and purposeful words, Esperança Costa revealed the approval of the national strategy for climate change, with a goal until 2030, which aims to «ensure the adaptation of the Angolan territory and contribute to the global effort to combat its causes». She also spoke about the programme to combat drought in the south of the country, using solutions that ensure conditions for the development of farming and, consequently, greater resilience by the communities. With a view to honouring its COP26 commitments, Angola is committed to increasing its renewable energy sources by 70% and, in terms of preserving biodiversity, guarantees an increase in conservation areas. And because unity is strength, the Vice President said that all and any strategies to combat climate change will be in vain if international cooperation is not strengthened. She affirmed that there is a duty to share knowledge and transfer technological and financial resources from industrialised countries to less advanced ones. To ensure it doesn’t get forgotten, she recalls what was promised at the last COP sessions, but not kept: «funding pledges amounting to more than USD 100 million», to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Africa and to the problems resulting from climate change. The Vice-President stressed the urgency of creating an early warning system and the operationalisation of the African humanitarian agency, which would assist in identifying the dangers of climate change.
After solutions and analysing problems, Esperança Costa appealed to the empathy of members and to action by all, given that «the link between climate change and the challenges of peace and security at a global level, especially in Africa (...) is increasingly evident». At the end, she appealed to the summit audience to reflect, stressing the importance of actions that curb carbon emissions and invest in alternative energy sources. It was a big day for Angola and for the world, with speeches that reflect the need for all countries to become one nation, in favour of one of the greatest challenges of the contemporary world: climate change.
After solutions and analysing problems, Esperança Costa appealed to the empathy of members and to action by all, given that «the link between climate change and the challenges of peace and security at a global level, especially in Africa (...) is increasingly evident». At the end, she appealed to the summit audience to reflect, stressing the importance of actions that curb carbon emissions and invest in alternative energy sources. It was a big day for Angola and for the world, with speeches that reflect the need for all countries to become one nation, in favour of one of the greatest challenges of the contemporary world: climate change.