What is COP26?
Global warming is increasing day by day due to our uncontrollable usage of fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil.
COP26 Summit is the 26th Conference of the Parties Climate Summit. It’s hosted by the United Kingdom Of England in Glasgow from 31st October to 12th November.
Its main aim is to bring the climate under control.
International lawmakers, business leaders, governments, and activists were assembled for a meeting in Glasgow.
They have been asked to step up their action plan on climate change and execute more goal-oriented cuts on greenhouse gas emissions to curb the rise in temperature globally.
The last decade has been the warmest on the record and nations acknowledge an immediate unified action is required.
Targets
- The agreed limit for temperature rise to avoid climate casualty is 1.5°C.
- Roughly 200 countries have been asked to abide by a new plan to reduce their emission.
- $100 bn is being asked to give to the poorer nations by wealthy countries.
- New ways of the contribution of public and private buildings in US & Europe for the framework of green energy.
- Global Methane Pledge – Decrease methane emission by 30%.
Numbers
- 26th Conference of Parties Climate Summit
- 31st October to 12th November
- 25,000 delegates
- 200 countries
- 10,000 UK police officers
- 100,000 protesters
Promises
- Cut emissions to net-zero by 2050
- Reduce planet-warming methane emissions by 30%
- Maintain global heating to 1.5°C
- Increase climate finance over $100 bn a year
Roundup of Monday
Monday was all about the loss and damage caused by global warming and how nations can be accustomed to climate change.
The former US President Barack Obama warned the delegation in his speech that “when it comes to climate, time is running out.”
Donald Trump, the predecessor of Barack Obama withdrew the US from the 2015 Paris Agreement which Barack Obama endorsed.
Obama cautioned that we have not done enough and we should do better. He further stated that we are falling behind both personally and generally in handling climate change.
What happened at Tuesday’s meeting?
Tuesday’s program’s spotlight was on science and innovation.
The UK government‘s chief scientific advisor Patrick Vallance highlighted the role of science and innovation in reducing the emission aligning with the 2015 Paris Agreement temperature targets and also focused on enabling required tools to access every country.
The UK government announced four new “innovation missions” which is a coalition of twenty-three governments (95% of global public investment in technology, research & development) that will work together to step up the advancement of clean technologies for cities, industry, business, and the production of renewable fuels, chemicals, and substances.
Another topic considered at Tuesday’s meeting was gender equality.
Equal and meaningful participation of both men and women in climate change.
What has been agreed so far at COP26?
A draft text was released and is supposed to form the basis of the agreement of the conference, which will be signed by all the countries attending on Friday night.
The agenda is to make nations more devoted to carbon limiting plans by the end of 2022 and help poorer nations cope with climate change by increasing climate finance beyond $100 bn a year.
The draft also focused on coal and fossil fuel emission.
Several topics are missing from the draft and can also be added between now and Friday.
These include the climate finance budget for 2050-30, supporting and promoting adaptation to the changing climate.
This draft will be the global agenda for the next decade. It also indicates the priorities of countries and where they have agreed but also where they have not.
Methane
Announcement
“Global Methane Pledge” is a pledge taken by more than a hundred countries to reduce methane emission by 30 % by 2030.
Royal DSM announced a new plant on September 4th for the large-scale production of Bovaer, a cattle feed supplement that substantially reduces the methane produced by cows.
This supplement has also been cleared for use by a few South American countries.
Why does it matter?
Methane is one of the most leading greenhouse gases. It’s also guilty of one-third of human-generated warming.
Few major sources of methane production are cattle production and waste disposal.
Is it applicable?
Although, Europe has adapted new ways to cut down methane production such as Bovaer.
It’s still a long way for the major producers like the US (the world’s largest producer of beef), China, Russia, and India.
Coal
Announcement
The major coal users including Poland, Vietnam, Chile, and more than forty countries have agreed to shift away from coal.
Why does it matter?
Coal is the biggest contributor to climate change. It is mostly carbon, after burning it reacts with oxygen in the air and produces carbon dioxide which when released into the atmosphere warms the earth like a blanket above the normal limit.
Even though various steps have been taken to limit its use. It is still responsible for 46% of carbon dioxide emission, 72% of total greenhouse gas emissions, and 37% of the world’s electricity in 2019.
Is it applicable?
Most of the world’s most coal-dependent countries such as Australia, India, China, and the US haven’t signed up.
Moreover, the agreement still doesn’t include other fossil fuels like oil or gas.
Trees
Announcement
More than a hundred countries across the world exhibit 85% of the world’s forests.
And has pledged to stop deforestation by 2030.
Why does it matter?
Trees are the major absorbent of carbon dioxide which is one of the major greenhouse gases and is the biggest contributor to global warming.
Hence, deforestation is one of the most fundamental ways to limit climate change.
Is it applicable?
Many steps have been taken before to stop deforestation and have also been successful to a certain limit. But, this plan is better funded.
Nonetheless, it’s imprecise how the pledge will be placed and supervised.
Adding further, Indonesia, which is one of the main endorsers, said that the plan was unfair.
Money
Announcement
Four hundred fifty financial organizations that control $130 trillion have agreed to limit clean technology like renewable energy.
Further, they have also agreed to direct their financial affairs away from fossil fuel burning industries.
Why does it matter?
This pledge is a slight push to encourage private industries to commit to net-zero targets and contribute financial investment for green technology.
Is it applicable?
There has not been a proper exposure to what net-zero targets are actually.
Moreover, few environmental organizations also mentioned that this may not be more than a PR exercise without any guarantee to put an end to fossil fuel finance.
Building materials
Announcement
Benzoin Bazin, the chief executive of Saint Gobain has asked the government to revise up building standards and to quicken the renovations of public and private buildings in the United States and Europe, and to deliver us a framework for green energy and manufacture of net-zero building materials.
Why does it matter?
The building material and construction division is responsible for about 40% of global emissions.
According to a report by the World Green Building Council, real estate businesses are urged to invest in sustainability to harbour a more accessible green environment.
Is it applicable?
Despite various efforts, the cycle of renovation and new build is very difficult.
Moreover, revising the existing building stock is a very complex issue. And can cause a substantial increase in emissions if not done sustainably.
Youth activists at COP26
Young protestors attended the COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Nearly 100,000 people marched through the rainy streets of Glasgow, Scotland, and stressed critical measures to be taken against climate change.
Youth activists urged politicians and business administrators to do their utmost to meet the goals to provide a conclusion to global heating to 1.5°C.
Various placards and posters with slogans such as “COP26 Act Now”, “We Need Action, Not Problems”, “Delay is Deadly” and “There is no Planet B” we’re held up throughout the city centre.
Some important words at COP26
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (US Congresswoman) – “The US has made a comeback with a radically different and more just approach to Climate Policy.”
Patrick Vallance (UK Chief Scientific Advisor) – “Science has been a diagnostic tool for long, now it needs to play the role of treatment as well.”
Cedric O (Secretary of State for the Digital Sector of France) – “The world feels the necessity for more nuclear energy.”
Julia Hoggett ( CEO of London Stock Exchange) – “Hope LSE can support the transformation to a low carbon economy.”
Benoit Bazin (Chief Executive of Saint Gobain) – “This is a huge opportunity to work on solutions for buildings, the largest emitter of CO2.”
Scott Russell (Member of Executive Board of SAP) – “The companies should take actions to make businesses sustainable and greener.”
Barack Obama (Former US President) – “We have not done sufficiently enough to address the current situation, we are supposed to do a lot more work.”