Egypt names IMF’s Mahmoud Mohieldin climate action champion at COP27

Egypt has appointed its veteran economist Mahmoud Mohieldin, executive director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as the country’s UN Climate Change High-Level Champion at UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27).

Egypt is hosting COP27 next November in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh with ambitious plans to support global efforts to curb emissions and increase resilience to climate impacts by providing funding for developing countries to face with climate change repercussions.

Mohieldin, 57, also UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, will be joining Nigel Topping, who continues in his role as the UK High-Level Climate Champion for following the COP26 in Glasgow.

“I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin as the new High-Level Champion,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa in a statement. 

“In Glasgow, we saw a groundswell of action towards achieving 1.5°C and building resilience for the most vulnerable communities. I’m confident Dr. Mohieldin brings the skills, the experience and the commitment to build an even stronger momentum and achieve the deep transformation required to reach a zero-carbon, resilient future.” Espinosa added.

The role of the High-Level Champion was created in 2015 at COP21 in Paris to help realise the ambitions of governments to reduce carbon emissions and build resilience to climate change. The Champions’ duty is specifically based on bridging the work of governments with the many voluntary and collaborative actions taken by cities, regions, businesses, investors, and civil society.

“I am immensely excited to be working with him on a dynamic non-state agenda, which is driving the ambition loop for accelerated government action to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.” said COP26 High-Level Climate Action Champion Nigel Topping.

Mohieldin and Topping will work together to advance their five-year plan to drive greater ambition from non-state actors to achieve a net-zero, climate-resilient future, building on the foundational leadership of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA).

Launched in November 2016 during COP22, the MPGCA aims to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals under the leadership of high-level climate champions.

Mohieldin will serve as Egypt’s climate champion at COP27 in addition to holding the duties of his current international posts, the ministry statement added.