1 of 4Photo: Noah Berger/AP/NTB
An energy crisis, geopolitical tension, epidemics and hotel overcrowding could create challenges at the Glasgow Climate Summit.
The desire to increase efforts against climate change has been great in the wake of floods, heat waves and wildfires Affected a number of countries this summer.
US climate envoy John Kerry calls for Glasgow meeting “last hope” To avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
However, the countries participating in the summit face great dilemmas, challenges and conflict of interests. The British government – which is hosting the meeting alongside Italy – appears to be starting to dampen expectations.
“I am very concerned, because things could go wrong,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier this week.
– very Difficult
During a meeting with British schoolchildren, Johnson acknowledged that it was difficult to make the necessary progress in the climate negotiations.
– It’s very, very difficult. But he added, I think it is possible.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed concern.
I hope we can still avoid defeat in Glasgow. He said recently that time is short, and things are starting to get difficult.
One of the British hosts’ goals is to increase support for the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.
But this will be very difficult. Instead, it looks like the world is On the way to 2.7 degrees If all countries have complied with the emissions targets they have set so far.
– It’s clearly a one-way ticket to disaster, Guterres thinks.
Biden, Macron and Modi
more than a hundred Heads of State and Government are expected to participate in the first phase of the COP26 Climate Summit early next week.
between them They are US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store (Labour). Britain stands with Boris Johnson and many members of the British royal family.
The United Nations summit at the end of the year takes place with a series of dramatic events that have raised awareness of global warming. The United States, Canada, Germany, Greece, China and several other countries were affected by severe weather this summer, which has been linked to climate change.
The United Nations Climate Panel has presented a somber new report that Antonio Guterres called a “red symbol for humanity”.
burn more coal
But while climate change is becoming more visible to people in Europe and North America, an energy crisis has hit parts of the world this fall.
The price of fossil energy resources, oil and gas, as well all fired into the air. The use of coal and oil must be reduced rapidly if the climate is to stabilize, but instead demand has increased now.
The energy crisis has many different causes. But one factor in Europe is the lack of wind, which has compromised the power of winds that were developed to cut climate emissions.
The news agency wrote that the situation could make agreement on the Glasgow summit more difficult Bloomberg. Countries may be less willing to pledge cuts to coal power.
Climate negotiations are also influenced by relations between China and the United States, the world’s two largest emitters. This relationship has been riddled with conflict since Donald Trump went to war with China.
Strict infection control
Despite dramatic UN climate warnings, Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to drop the Glasgow summit. Nor will Russian President Vladimir Putin travel to Scotland.
The coronavirus pandemic and the shortage of hotel rooms are creating practical problems for some of those who will be physically present at the meeting. Delegates from poor countries are affected by strict coronary restrictions and exorbitant hotel rates.
Although the climate summit was It is referred to as the most important Since the Paris summit in 2015, not the most important decisions that have been planned in this round of negotiations.
The tug of war around rich countries’ funding of climate measures will continue in poor countries. Several countries have promised to increase their contributions – but it may not be enough to reach the $100 billion a year target.
In addition, a new attempt will be made to agree on quota trading rules in line with the Paris Agreement. In these talks, Norway will play a leading role.
A very important year
The British hosts are hoping for progress in a number of different areas that are part of the negotiation process, according to a British source the NTB spoke with.
Among other things, there is hope that more countries will commit to so-called net zero emissions by 2050.
2021 is a very important year for international climate policy, says Stephen Kalbkin, director of research at the Cicero Climate Research Center. But this is not because many important decisions are planned in Glasgow.
Instead, it refers to the voluntary emissions targets that countries in the world have included in the Paris Agreement. Targets will be set on a regular basis, and several states have done so over the past year.
Overall, the level of ambition has been boosted – but not enough to stop the world heading toward a 2.7-degree warming.
“Coffee trailblazer. Certified pop culture lover. Infuriatingly humble gamer.”
