(4) Reflections on COP27

With COP27 coming to an end, I want to critically reflect upon its achievements and limitations in addressing climate and water of Africa. Overall, COP27 ended with mixed results: lights have been shone on the water-climate nexus, and a Loss and Damage fund has finally been established. However, there is still much work to do to agree on the fund’s operational details. 

For the first time, there is a dedicated themed day for Water, bringing water issues to the forefront of the agenda. Climate risk is water risk: when we think about climate change threatening agricultural productivity, sea level rise, and extreme weather, these are all issues related to water. A Water Pavilion is also hosted for the first time to promote climate-related water management. However, tangible action plans to tackle water issues lacks. I hope more practical collective action can be agreed on at the UN Water Conference 2023 March next year. 

Figure 1: Water Pavilion at COP27

Hosted in Egypt, I had high hopes for COP27 to represent and voice Africa’s concerns on financing and mitigating climate and water issues. As climate records continue to soar, African nations advance their development plans within a global system that is sensitive to environmental sustainability and conservation. This practice was not shared by the West, where socio-economic agendas are prioritised over environmental considerations. Although Global South has a small cumulative contribution to the climate crisis, its cost falls disproportionately to these countries that are the poorest and most vulnerable to climate change. The Loss and Damage fund was set up for Global North governments to take historical responsibility to account for such imbalance.

Figure 2: Climate activists in COP27, advocating for the loss and damage fund

Apart from the loss and damage fund, the UN invested USD10 million in Mauritius’ public water system and USD3 billion in Lesotho and Botswana’s water transfer project. Similarly, US President Biden pledged USD25 million for the African Union’s African Adaptation Initiative, among others. However, beneficiaries have to beware of falling into the neocolonialism trap of being overly dependent on external support. Foreign institutions have often been accused of keeping previously colonised regions in debt through a vicious cycle of condition-laden short-term loans. 

I want to highlight that foreign interference is not limited by the West. For example, China granted USD652 million in loans to Ethiopia in 2017 to finance GERD. However, these loans are with hidden debts of USD385 billion. Turkey has also sponsored Ethiopia’s water resource management, yet was accused of ‘reviving neo-ottoman dreams’ in which Turkey tries to expand its political-economic power.  

Water is a vital resource that is becoming a rising priority for countries in international power struggles and internal administration. Operational details of funds, such as who receives and how it is distributed have to be carefully and critically considered in the next COP, so that worldwide equitable and green development can be achieved.