MOSCOW, November 8. /TASS/. The key words of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh turned out to be "finances," "adaptation" and "Africa" while no breakthrough decisions are expected, Director of the Climate and Energy Program at WWF Russia Alexey Kokorin told TASS commenting on the results of the conference’s first day.

"The most vulnerable countries are speaking very strongly about their needs in adapting to climate change while some developed countries stated that they were ready to provide funds for adaptation which would go toward healthcare, agriculture and water resources. The conference’s key words are ‘finances,’ ‘adaptation’ and ‘Africa.’ Egypt is hosting the conference as an African country which, of course, puts the spotlight on African nations, especially since finances and adaptation are the most crucial for them right now," the climatologist said.

He also specified that the conference is being held at the level of ministers and the countries’ special representatives and current work-related issues are being debated. Any breakthrough decisions or new agreements that would dramatically change international cooperation on climate issues are not anticipated and there is no revision or strengthening of the Paris Agreement on the agenda. However, the conference, undoubtedly, has its own merits and a place in the sequence of long-term global actions, the expert added.

"There are no specifics in the statements on the global reduction of greenhouse emissions but it was not expected anyway. What do African countries need? For them, low-carbon development is not so pertinent, they need to adapt to climate change and money is needed for this. And not in the form of loans. Nobody would provide a loan for agriculture in Africa, only a grant. Another thing is that it will require strict accounting," Kokorin concluded.