The concession stands at the conference location have started handing out not only water tetrapaks, but also all soft drinks for free. Prices for coffee, sandwiches and other snacks have been halved. As heard, this should remain so until the end of the conference at the end of next week.
During the early days of COP27, with its thousands of participants from all over the world, water had become scarce on the convention site. As early as Monday evening, conference attendees were out of supplies from many of the water dispensers. This was not what the participants expected – even though water is fundamentally scarce in the desert landscape of the Sinai Peninsula and the problem is also increasing in other parts of Egypt due to climate change.
On Tuesday, the organizers provided supplies. But on Wednesday, many free water dispensers were empty again. An NGO representative with experience at the COP complained that there were not enough water dispensers on the site after all. “It stresses people out when they have to search for water all the time.”
In contrast, lemonades from beverage giant Coca-Cola were for sale. Much to the dismay of many environmentalists, the US company is one of the sponsors of this year’s global climate conference. Environmentalists have long accused the company of being a huge contributor to global plastic pollution.
Participants also complained about a shortage of snacks at the food stands and long lines at the food stands. “The food supply is catastrophic,” says a representative of an NGO that has participated in world climate conferences for 15 years.
Because she also does not have time to stand in long lines at the food stalls on the convention site, she “secretly spreads sandwiches every day at the breakfast buffet in the hotel,” according to the NGO representative.
For the many participants from developing countries, the prices on the conference grounds – for example the equivalent of a good ten euros for a sandwich – are also far too high. “I have never seen such a price level as here at a COP,” said the NGO representative.
Given the bottlenecks, “many now resorted to carting water bottles and food” from a nearby supermarket, according to a newsletter from the climate network GSCC on Wednesday. The network immediately offered practical help by placing the pavilions on the congress site where free coffee or tea is available. “Oases in the Desert” was the joking title of this offering.
Thursday was the turning point. Free cold drinks and everything else half price, the staff at the snack stalls beamed. The result was not only significantly shorter queues because soft drinks did not have to be paid for, but also happier customers.
That was “a nice gesture” and “first of all it was well received,” said the NGO representative. And in his view, a good supply of food and drink is not so unimportant for the success of the COP27. “If people don’t feel comfortable, how are they supposed to negotiate well?”
(SDA)