I went to this COP feeling strongly that matters were urgent and time was running out. COP 27 was pivotal, the conference which would make the shift from goals to action, which would start putting all those fine-sounding statements into effect.

Reality stubbornly reminds us, all day and every day, that global warming is happening and we are failing to do anything about it.

The international community has been unable to pull together over the last few years: this is clear from the lack of political will and the failure to deliver tangible solutions such as a proper loss and damage fund - despite the fact that the most vulnerable countries and those hit hardest have been calling for it for years.

This COP finally managed to achieve this objective, even if we are still in the dark as regards quite how it will be implemented.

After lengthy and complicated discussions, the COP established a working programme on a just transition based on social dialogue and social protection, as trade unions and the European Economic and Social Committee have consistently advocated.

However, we must bear in mind that there can be no climate justice without human rights, and labour rights are very much a part of them. There was a lot of talk about rights at Sharm el-Sheikh. Civil society, the major organisations, trade unions and some governments called out Egypt for its poor human rights record.

We should also be thinking about how COPs, and international climate policy itself, are organised: should they be reformed, shouldn't we be listening more to civil society, the social partners, young people and women and giving them a stronger voice at the table when it comes to decision making?

In terms of what the COP actually achieved, yes, we must acknowledge that it was lacking in ambition given the sheer scale of the climate emergency. We took part, unable to believe our ears, in discussions on issues that should have been taken for granted, such as the 1.5°C target and cutting the use of fossil fuels more rapidly - but which failed to tackle how to finance these measures.

And yes, men are still ruling the roost in climate negotiations, both because there are more of them and because they are in the top positions. Women have to play a part in decisions on the climate; their absence exacerbates inequality and prevents women from contributing more fully to shaping and implementing climate policies.

The clock is ticking and COP 27 has made it quite clear that despite some progress, we still have a lot of work to do.