In the early days of Cop27, taps and coolers bearing the logo of sponsor Coca-Cola stood empty in the African sun as thirsty delegates looked on. Counter workers bickered with each other as the last sandwiches, quiche slices and croissants left. The ice cream stands were the only places not affected by the shortages. A spokesman said they had resorted to eating three ice creams in one day. “I tried to have a big breakfast, but it’s not working,” said the woman, who works for an NGO, 40 minutes deep in a queue for a newly opened kiosk. She – and everyone else the Guardian spoke to for this article – did not want to be named. “It was terrible. There is a line to eat and another to pay. It’s good that people are honest. I went up and got three ice creams yesterday before I finally paid.” A short walk away, a representative from an American university was ready for the last snack she had put in the plastic wrap she had reused from her hotel slippers. The remains of a chocolate donut she had eaten earlier in the day were still visible on her sides, sweating in the evening heat. “All I have now is a pear. I have not been able to find water. There are only orange and mango drinks. My colleagues warned me and I came prepared,” she said. On the eve of Cop27, as negotiators argued over whether loss and damage should be on the summit’s agenda, food shortages added to the tense mood, with no food left overnight. Delegates could be seen eating meals from McDonald’s that had been brought into the desert at the convention center. On the first day, long queues were visible across the Cop27 site, with some saying they waited 45 minutes to get a snack. “Ice cream is easy to get if you want it. We shouldn’t complain. It is a conference in the desert of a developing country. I didn’t know what to expect, but at least the cottage kiosks have free coffee,” said one man. “The queues are long and the food is basic. There’s nothing really for vegetarians, which is strange for a climate conference,” said another attendee. The most important stories on the planet. Get all the week’s environmental news – the good, the bad and the must-haves Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. As concerns about food and water supplies spread, workers piled up huge cans of water and large deliveries of biscuits and croissants began appearing at food stalls from Tuesday afternoon. But some dealers remained hard to please. “You have to try really hard to make a sandwich as bad as this,” said one woman. “I had nothing all day yesterday. Today I lowered my expectations. The queues are a bit shorter. I’ll just have to eat well back at my hotel.” The Cop27 presidency and the UNFCCC have been contacted for comment.
