"Egypt COP27 Climate Summit Activists Concerned Voices Will Be Curtailed"

"CAIRO - The decision to hold next month's COP27 climate summit in a highly secured tourist resort in Egypt, along with restrictions on access, is curbing civil society's participation in the event, some prominent activists say.

The Nov. 6-18 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh is the first annual U.N. climate conference to be held after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Campaigners see it as a crucial venue for raising the alarm over climate change and pressuring governments to act.

But they say voicing their concerns through rallies and protests as they have done in past host countries or cities will be more challenging in Egypt, where public demonstrations are effectively banned and activists have struggled to operate legally amid a far-reaching crackdown on political dissent.

Limits on accreditation and attendance badges for activists, especially from poorer nations, have also been a point of contention at previous U.N. climate summits."

Aidan Lewis and Farah Saafan report for Reuters October 24, 2022.

SEE ALSO:

"EU Seeking Deals On Three Climate Laws In Time For U.N. Summit" (Reuters)

"COP27 will be the first U.N. climate summit in the era of loss and damage" (Thomson Reuters Foundation)

"US Supports Climate Reparations Talks at UN Summit in Egypt" (Bloomberg Environment)

"The US May Have Scored a Climate Victory in Congress, but It Will Be in the Hot Seat With Other Major Emitters at UN Climate Talks" (Inside Climate News)