Youth and Future Generations

Leonor Sena Carvalho
Associate
CMS Africa

"This year, COP’s relevance is as important as the high expectations surrounding it.  

Every COP is important for aligning international goals and for improving relationships between developed and developing countries, especially African countries. But this year there is an additional element. - our global context, particularly the concerns generated by the Russia-Ukraine war, means that it is even more important to guarantee that the focus is not diverted and that the work that is being done relating to climate change is not interrupted. 

I want to see COP27 defining  a thorough schedule and establishing penalties or consequences that guarantee that the countries involved will abide and enforce what is agreed. I also want to see more focus on the future, notably through financing African countries’ development projects on energy transition, protection of species and biodiversity. Making up for the past and repairing damages is not enough anymore. If the future is not accounted for, the past will keep repeating itself."

João Maria Falcão
Trainee Lawyer
CMS Africa

"This is the time for Africa and for climate justice.

I’m glad COP27 is being hosted in Africa. This should be Africa’s time! Studies show that Africa is the continent that least contributes to climate change, but it is the most affected region. Developed and industrialised countries must take responsibility for what is happening, but should also see the potential and the advantages of investing in Africa. For example, investments that improve healthcare will mean less disease; improvements in the electric grids, sustainable agriculture and technology industry, will mean more contributors to supply chains. These investments should be made both by States/ governmental entities and the private sector. 

So, I expect that this COP27 may bring a common strategy for Africa, capable of identifying the problems and finding the solutions. Most importantly, I hope it will also propose new ways to make public and private finance available to these ambitious projects, with innovative alternatives like crowdfunding and other new financing solutions."

Inshaal Ahmad
Associate 
CMS Middle East

"This is the moment for the Middle East to take initiative on the issue of climate change as we look forward to back-to-back COPs in the region. COP27 in Egypt and COP28 in the UAE should provide the momentum and catalyse efforts to tackle climate change in the Middle East.

There are encouraging signs of nations in the Middle East taking climate change seriously with the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain having announced net zero greenhouse gas emissions target dates. The UAE has set a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which has been matched recently by Oman. While Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have both committed to net zero by 2060. Although these targets are encouraging, it remains to be seen how realistic they are, particularly as countries such as Saudi Arabia continue to pump more and more oil.

The bans and tariffs on single-use plastic in the UAE this year were overdue but welcome changes and show that, slowly but surely, the UAE is moving in the right direction on issues of sustainability. 

However, several environmental issues continue to challenge the UAE, including the depletion of freshwater resources, the economic reliance on the oil and gas industry as well as a lack of sustainable transport. COP27 provides an opportunity for the UAE and other nations in the Middle East to tackle these issues."
 

Andy Yeo
Associate
CMS Singapore

"The COP27 is the hallmark of the continuous global effort of nations around the world to come together to reaffirm their commitment to the global climate agenda, despite the difficulties and uncertainties in this age and time.

In line with the COP27, the Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr Lawrence Wong announced at the Singapore International Energy Week 2022 that Singapore will commit to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The use of fossil fuels has been the core of the global GDP growth. This, however, has led to various climate, environmental, and health externalities.

Within the short span of my years in practice, I have witnessed parties disputing over facts, the interpretation of contracts, and the application of the law – but what is undisputable is that we only have one Earth.

In Singapore, the Government has implemented the Green Plan 2030, targets of which include the quadruple of solar energy deployment by 2025, and the reduction of waste sent to landfills by 30% by 2030. I am optimistic and excited for the fruition of these green initiatives in years to come."

Felicia Hutapea
Associate
CMS Singapore

"The expression “One size fits all” does not apply to the implementation of energy transition policies around the world. Indonesia, for example, has long struggled in fighting climate change due to its historical reliance on fossil fuels, unique archipelagic landscape, and complicated legal framework. Notwithstanding, Indonesia has displayed renewed commitment by entering the Paris Agreement in 2016. Notable actions taken since its signing include the creation of the country’s first battery storage company group and the recent issuance of presidential regulation on renewable energy development, which formally bans the development of new coal-fired power plants.

The upcoming COP27 marks a continued global effort by all attending countries, including Indonesia, towards reaching a net-zero emissions world. With investors looking to expand their clean energy portfolios, we have seen an increasing demand for carbon credit clauses relating to environmental performance, incentives, and remedies in various transactions. Indonesia also ranks as a place of interest for project companies seeking to develop CCUS and hydrogen projects. Home to abundant natural resources, Indonesia will be in place to benefit from the impending energy transition opportunities if it truly commits to the environmental policies and rules adopted by it."

Lukas Reichmann
Associate
CMS Czech Republic

"The COP is an excellent platform for multiple stakeholders, be they political leaders, NGOs, or private entities and individuals, to meet and try to find solutions to the myriad environmental issues troubling the world. We can see from past experience that the conference is able to deliver very ambitious outcomes, such as the Paris Agreement at COP21, which continues to be the cornerstone of environmental policies all around the world, Central and Eastern Europe included.

My expectations from COP27 are for world leaders and the business community to continue setting ambitious and deliverable climate goals that will subsequently lead to meeting the targets set out by the Paris Agreement and minimising the negative environmental impact that future generations will otherwise surely have to face. At the same time, I sincerely hope we will not only set ambitious plans, but also workable roadmaps to turn those plans into reality.

As COP27 takes place in Egypt this year, I also expect a greater focus on environmental issues that Africa has been and will face in the near future as one of the regions badly hit by climate change. From the central European point of view, it would be naive to think that events driven by climate change in regions further away from us have no subsequent impacts in our countries. Therefore, governments, the public and private sector should all play an important role in meeting their climate targets today, before it is too late."