Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt: Mr. John Kerry, the US representative to the UN climate negotiations at COP27 in Egypt, has tested positive for COVID-19.
Mr. Kerry’s sickness has raised concerns about the talks, which were supposed to finish on 18th November but have been going on longer than expected with no clear hope in sight.
According to the statements from state department, Mr. Kerry is continuing the work through phone.
He is fully vaccinated and boosted and experiencing mild symptoms. He is working with his negotiations team and foreign counterparts by phone to ensure a successful outcome of COP27.
Ms. Whitney Smith, Kerry’s spokeswoman, informed.
The US Climate Envoy has been leading the American attempts to reach an agreement at the two-week summit in Sharm el-Sheikh and has had many bilateral talks there, including one on 17th November with his Chinese counterpart Mr. Xie Zhenhua.
The talks at the COP27 summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh are revolving around the controversial issue of “loss and damage” funding for less developed countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.
‘Loss and Damage’ continue to be the focal point between rich and poor nations, particularly the issue of how to compensate nations that have already been devastated by climate-driven floods, mega storms, wildfires, and droughts.
Delegates from nearly 200 countries have assembled at the COP27 in Egypt for two weeks with the aim of advancing action on climate change as the globe faces a rising number of weather extremes.