Canadian delegates are joining world leaders this week as this year's United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference — COP27 — gets underway in Egypt's costal city, Sharm El-Sheikh. ."We seek to accelerate global climate action through emissions reduction, scaled-up adaptation efforts and enhanced flows of appropriate finance," reads the COP27 website.."We recognize that 'just transition' remains a priority for developing countries worldwide.".The Alberta government, led by Alberta's Environment and Protective Areas Minister Sonya Savage, has committed to sending provincial delegates to profile the province's "environmental leadership" at COP27. .“I am proud to represent Alberta at COP27 to showcase the impressive environmental leadership an energy-producing jurisdiction is capable of," said Savage. ."Having a seat at the table among world leaders gives us an opportunity to tell Alberta’s exciting story and to ensure our policies continue to attract the investment needed to protect the environment and bolster the economy.”.The province said it will highlight "Alberta’s climate and energy policies that balance the environment and energy security, our global leadership on innovative technology like carbon capture, utilization and storage, our investments in hydrogen and critical and rare earth minerals, and key areas Alberta is delivering on such as lowering methane emissions in the oil and gas sector." .The Alberta government said it is "committed to working with national and international partners" with innovation and technological developments to create "opportunities for economic growth and lower emissions" locally, as well as globally. .Savage will attend the conference with "one ministerial staff, the deputy minister, and three department staff from Environment and Protected Areas," confirmed the government in a press release. .A "broader Alberta delegation" will also attend the conference including industry, academia, investors, youth, non-governmental organizations, and municipalities. .Savage's press secretary, Miguel Racin, when asked about associated costs to taxpayers for the provincial delegation to participation at COP27, confirmed only expenses for the government delegation will be shouldered by the province, but was unable to provide details on an anticipated budget. ."The expenses of the broader delegation will not be funded by the Alberta government," Racin told the Western Standard, although he acknowledged there may be indirect funding of initiatives for other non-governmental groups attending, such as youth groups, but did not confirm specifics. ."Canada is always going to have a significant presence at Conference of Parties (COP) conferences," said spokeswoman Amelie Desmarais, media relations for Environment and Climate Change Canada, in a statement to the Western Standard.."Participation of Canadians from all parts of the country and all sectors of the economy is essential to shaping global and local climate solutions, and to inspire other countries and actors to follow suit in taking an inclusive approach to climate action.".Desmarais said Canada's participation "paves the way for new partnerships, new opportunities, and new ideas" to reach the country's climate goals. .She confirmed Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will lead Canada's delegation along with Canada's Ambassador for Climate Change Catherine Steward, and Canada's chief negotiator for climate change — Environment and Climate Change Canada's (ECCC) Steven Kuhn. .Desmarais said Canada's delegation will also include representatives from various groups, "including parliamentarians representing both the House of Commons and the Senate, representatives from civil society organizations, business, labour, most provinces and territories as well as indigenous representatives and youth.".A full list of Canada's delegation will be published on the ECCC's website at the end of the conference, confirmed Desmarais..The federal government said it's "too early to know the costs for the Canadian delegation," but indicated travel costs and reimbursements "undergo a thorough review to ensure all claims follow the National Joint Council Travel Directive and Treasury Board Guidelines." .Last November, Canada had more delegates attend COP26 in Glasgow than any other country..READ MORE: Canada has largest delegation in the world at COP26.A total of 277 bureaucrats went along for the ride, including then newly appointed Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reported Blacklock's Reporter. .That figure did not include the prime minister’s official photographer, official videographer and lead speechwriter, 17 press secretaries and communications directors, four CBC reporters and the entire Green Party caucus comprised of two MPs..Last year, a total of 39,509 people from countries around the world registered for the Glasgow conference, including 3,800 media and 14,000 observers..UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, during a Monday speech, told delegations that countries will need to work together now to cut emissions or condemn future generations to climate catastrophe. ."Humanity has a choice: co-operate or perish," Guterres said..Guterres called for a pact from all countries to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels and support poorer nations in coping with the impacts of global warming. He also called on the US and China to "join efforts to make this pact a reality." .During his speech, Guterres, also requested all countries to agree to phase out the use of coal by 2040 and suggested progress has been slow due to countries being slow or reluctant to act. ."Greenhouse gas emissions keep growing," he said. ."Global temperatures keep rising. And our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible. We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.".Former US Vice President and environmentalist, Al Gore, also addressed the delegations and criticized the pursuit of gas resources in Africa by "developed nations." ."We have a credibility problem, all of us: we're talking and we're starting to act, but we're not doing enough," said Gore during the summit's opening ceremony.."We must see the so-called 'dash for gas' for what it really is: a dash down a bridge to nowhere, leaving the countries of the world facing climate chaos and billions in stranded assets, especially here in Africa. We have to move beyond the era of fossil fuel colonialism.".The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) sixth assessment report, tabled in April, indicated that "without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is beyond reach."
