This week, world leaders, policy makers, and activists are heading into the third of 12 days of negotiations at COP 26, the United Nations’ critical climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. The science is clear: to keep warming to 1.5 degrees, we must cut global emissions in half by 2030.
The opening pledges from policy-makers, business leaders, and heavy hitters in finance and other sectors usually comes at the first two days of the conference, known as the World Leaders Summit.
Some key takeaways from the conference are the following:
Leaders are talking big, but falling short on delivering real plans for action. Many countries are making net-zero pledges, but few have concrete plans for how they will get there. Together, these pledges will not hold global warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade.
Big polluters and major institutions are dropping the ball. Brazil committed to effectively the same emissions cuts as it did in 2015. Australia is counting on technology that does not exist yet to meet its 2050 goal. India strengthened its 2030 commitments, but pledged to reach net zero by 2070, a good signal, but far too late to prevent catastrophe. The hope is that near-term targets will help them reach net zero much sooner.
Access and accountability are an issue. The coronavirus disease (CoViD)-19 travel restrictions mean that one-third of leaders from Pacific Island nations suffering some of the worst climate impacts cannot attend COP 26. These same restrictions have also prevented most indigenous and civil society observers from attending negotiations, limiting oversight, accountability, and climate justice.
But, the news is not all that bad, according to the Climate Reality Leadership Corps that has members worldwide including the Philippines and specifically in Dumaguete City. Forests are finally getting the attention they deserve, with more than 100 countries containing 85 percent of the world’s forest cover pledging to end deforestation by 2030, coupled with about $19 billion in funding. More than 100 countries have also joined the Global Methane Pledge, with $300 million in funding to cut dangerous methane emissions.
These and all are what the Climate Reality Project headed by its founder, former US Vice-President Al Gore, has been advocating and calling on all citizens worldwide to consider and be a part of.
It is not yet too late if we heed the call right now. – NWI
