By Matthew Lauster
Climate Conference Begins In Glasgow On Sunday; More Than 20,000 Expected To Attend
October 27, 2021—As world leaders get ready to meet in Glasgow, Scotland starting Sunday for the COP26 Climate Change Conference, new information from a UN agency shows current promises by countries falling well short of what is needed to stave off warming.
The latest report, from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), estimates that global temperatures will rise at least 2.7 degrees C by the end of the century.
“The leadership we need is off, and far off,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday. He added that leaders “need to come to Glasgow with bold, time-bound, front-loaded plans to reach net-zero.”
Glasgow-Ready
It is the fifth COP, or “Conference of the Parties,” meeting since the parties met in France in 2015 and signed the Paris Agreement. It takes place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12. Over 20,000 people (and perhaps as many as 30,000 people) representing countries, NGOs, businesses and other organizations are expected to attend.
Around 120 world leaders are planning on attending. Notably absent, however, will be China President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It’s not clear if those two leaders will take part via video conference.
Goals & Emissions Targets
Under the Paris Agreement, the goal is to keep the temperature from increasing more than that 2 degrees Celsius, while aiming for 1.5 degrees Celsius. To meet the goal, the world would need to cut its CO2 emissions by about 45 percent from the 2010 level by 2030 and reach net zero around 2050, a report found last month.
To do that, every leader is setting emissions targets.
“Climate change is no longer a future problem. It is a now problem,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP. “To stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C, we have eight years to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions.”
Gap Between Goals And Promises
Even as leaders talk about their net-zero goals, the gap report released October 20 found the governments of 15 major fossil fuel producing countries still back policies for fossil fuel production.
“The world’s governments plan to produce around 110 percent more fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C,” the report said. “Governments’ production plans and projections would lead to about 240% more coal, 57% more oil, and 71% more gas in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.”
It’s a big difference between a 1.5-degree change and a 2-degree change. As Bruce Lieberman reports for Yale Climate Connections, a 1.5 degrees C temperature increase could reduce the number of people worldwide exposed to climate-related risks compared to a 2 degrees C increase. In terms of the population who would be exposed to extreme heat, it’s a difference of 14 percent versus 37 percent.
Conference leaders are encouraging countries to advance commitments to net-zero. That means: accelerating the phase-out of coal, stopping or slowing deforestation, moving to electric vehicles, and encouraging investment in renewables. In addition to the net-zero commitments, the conference’s goals include:
- Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats. Organizers plan to protect and restore ecosystems and build defenses, warning systems and resilient infrastrucutre.
- Push developed nations to keep their promises to raise $1 hundred billion annually to fund the net zero goal. Also, push private financial institutions to do their part to reach these goals.
- To make the Paris Climate Agreement operational.
Matthew Lauster is a freelance writer living in Washington, D.C. Matthew graduated from the College at Brockport State University of New York with a BA’s of Science in Journalism and Broadcasting and a Minor in History. He has previously reported on climate change for George Washington University’s Planet Forward.
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