BY STAFF REPORTER
Recently North America faced a shocking level of heat wave while Germany and nearby states also suffered a catastrophic flood. These are only some of the recurrent incidents of climate change happening in various parts of the world today.
If the situation continues unabated the world is likely to face similar and even worse levels of disasters that are outcomes of climate change. As a result Climate change has one of the most widely discussed issues of the world at the moment due to the various alarming incidents that are facing the world.
To curb the possible damage from climate change world leaders have been discussing annually and setting targets to be achieved. The talks, known officially as the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is where these matters are negotiated. Now in their 26th year, the talks are to take place in Glasgow in November.
Amid the talks the leaders in 2015 have adopted The Paris Agreement which sets out that countries hold the increase in the global average temperatures to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The countries have also pledged to formulate commitments which are called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) which specify their national obligations towards realizing the globally set goals.
It is to be recalled that as per the agreement, the rich nations pledged to provide 100 billion USD annually to developing nations to assist efforts of decarbonization. Now that only three months are left to the COP26 summit, various voices are coming from all directions concerning the implementation of the pledges so far.
“Although significant progress has been made, we must be honest that collectively we have not yet delivered at the scale and pace that science requires” says Alok Sharma, COP26 President designate.
Sharma was speaking during the July Ministerial meeting that preceded the October summit. According to COP26.org, leaders agreed with the COP26 President that the world needs to step up its emissions targets and its actions to keep the 1.5 temperature limit alive, noting that we have now reached levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that we have not seen for 3 million years. Leaders talked about the need for greater action sooner, commenting that flattening the curve on temperature warming by the middle of the century would be too late, that emissions must peak by 2025.
Early peaking is necessary not only to protect climate vulnerable Pacific SIDS but also larger, more resilient countries who will also experience greater severity and frequency of heat domes, wildfires, floods and storms and therefore need to take action to close the mitigation gap. High emitters, especially G20, must commit to higher mitigation targets now, and COP26 must set the path for peaking emissions by 2025. Finance and access to finance are lagging behind the needs of countries.
Participants highlighted the importance of including super pollutants, such as methane, black carbon and HFCs, in reduction targets. Rapid reduction of these powerful GHGs could make a significant difference to the achievability of the 1.5° target.
Throughout the event, Leaders spoke of the heightened vulnerability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), particularly in light of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Challenges due to the pandemic may affect PSIDS presence at Glasgow, with travel remaining difficult, but Leaders and COP26 President agreed on the importance of ensuring PSIDS representatives are fully briefed on logistical issues, including the provision of vaccines where necessary. Pacific Leaders encouraged the UK Presidency to consider Ministerial proxies and remote participation, where practical.
Many participants outlined the urgent need for access to all types of finance to decarbonise their economies and adapt to climate change as the world recovers from COVID-19. Leaders highlighted that the $100bn goal is still unmet and shared concerns regarding the insufficient focus of finance on adaptation. Leaders spoke of the need for development partners to significantly reduce loans as an instrument of climate finance, suggesting unlocking private-sector finance as an alternative, through grant-based or highly concessional de-risking funds. Leaders also emphasised the difficulty of accessing climate finance, calling for simplification of the bureaucracy surrounding funds; using a more programmatic approach; and supporting countries’ capacity to manage these processes.
The finalisation of the Paris Rulebook was also highlighted by participants. Several speakers referred to the need to set common five-year time frames, along with calls for Kyoto credits to not be brought forward as Article 6 mechanisms are agreed.
Participants highlighted the need to prioritise adaptation. For a region where GHG emissions are minimal, and climate impacts severe, significant adaptation is required for their survival. Loss and damage continues to be an important topic for PSIDS, with leaders calling for the operationalisation of the Santiago Network.
Pacific countries welcomed the COP26 Presidency’s focus on the climate-ocean nexus, making clear their desire for the ocean to be incorporated in UNFCCC processes. Countries highlighted the role the ocean plays in regulating temperatures across the globe. Speakers also noted the reliance on the ocean across the Pacific for culture, livelihoods, food security and sustainability of coastal communities. Efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change must also protect marine environments and biodiversity, and many participants echoed calls for climate finance to be available for ocean projects.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD JULY 28/2021
