When is COP 27? Dates of climate change summit, where in Egypt is it taking place, and what are the goals

COP26 was the priority of world leaders and climate activists when it took place in November 2021.

The United Nations Climate Summit took place in Glasgow last year, and was heralded as one of the most important meetings of nations in recent years.

Outcomes were met, with the Glasgow Climate Pact signed by attendees and a major new commitment to finance for climate goals and poorer countries. But climate activists warned that there were still strides to be made

Now, with around half a year to go until the next summit, attention is turning to COP27.

But what will this year’s global climate conference entail and where is it being held?

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s climate summit.

When is COP27?

COP27 will take place from 7th - 18th November 2022.

The 27th edition of the summit was due to take place from 8th - 20th November 2021. However, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the schedule was paused, with COP26 taking place in 2021, one year later than originally planned.

Where is COP27 being held?

Egypt will host this year’s summit.

The city of Sharm el-Sheikh will play host to thousands of delegates and world world leaders.

What does COP stand for?

COP is the name given to the annual meeting of world leaders in a climate change capacity.

It stand for “conference of parties”, with each delegation representing a party.

The number of member countries in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has grown over the years and now sits at 195.

COP27 will be the 27th summit to take place.

Which world leaders are taking part in COP27?

Currently, the agenda for the climate summit in Egypt is unknown.

However, the meeting of minds is usually attended by high profile world leaders.

For example, US President Joe Biden made an appearance at the Glasgow climate change summit last year, making a speech on the stage at the SEC Campus.

Other leaders who attended included French president Emmanuel Macron, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian president Justin Trudeau.

They were joined by Boris Johnson and British MP Alok Sharma, who served as COP president while the UK held the summit.

Prominent figures who also made an appearance in Glasgow included former US president Barack Obama, Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

Activist Greta Thunberg also travelled to Glasgow, however she took part in fringe events, such as a climate strike through the centre of the city, rather than main events within the COP campus.

What are the aims of COP27?

While COP26 saw many new promises made and new commitments promises, COP27 will aim to assess the progress in reaching these goals.

In 2021, countries agreed to return yearly with new national determined contributions (NDCs), rather than waiting the five years as agreed upon in the Paris Agreement in 2015.

NDCs are steps which each country will take to meet emissions targets.

Therefore, COP27 will be the first year in which the new steps will be announced by participating countries.

Egyptian COP27 president Sameh Shoukry has also said that he hopes the summit will have a focus on climate finance and mitigation.