Why is COP26 being held, and what is a climate conference?
The meeting is organized by the United Nations as COP26, or Conference of the Parties.
Heads of state and government from 196 countries around the world will meet in November in the British city of Glasgow.
Leaders will use this opportunity to discuss what has been achieved and how successful the actions to curb climate change have been since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015.
It is of utmost importance that all nations keep their commitments to curb global warming. The goal is to keep warming to below 2 °C or strive for 1.5 °C pre-industrial levels. If the target is not met, experts say the Earth could warm by more than 3 °C.
What agreements could be reached at the meeting?
Countries will be asked to set ambitious targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030.
Countries must provide a response on how they will not emit more greenhouse gases than they can eliminate by 2050.
Fossil fuel combustion is a major factor. Therefore, there is a need to stop using coal, end deforestation, switch to electric cars, and invest in building renewable energy.[1]
Climate change is a long-term change in the global climate pattern.[2]
Global warming of 1.2 degrees Celsius results in melting of the ice landscape
What are the risks if agreements cannot be reached?
Global temperatures have risen about 1.2 degrees Celsius since industrialization, and continue to rise. Governments are therefore urgently required to take action.
There is a risk of droughts and heatwaves, which could lead to food shortages. Rising sea levels mean that island and coastal states are gradually being flooded. Since many poorer regions of the world lack financial resources, people in these regions will suffer the consequences first.
Industrial facilities have an impact on increasing global temperature.
Before the meeting began, developing countries made the following demands, among others:
- Adjustment of funding to combat climate change
- Compensation for the impacts these countries are facing
- Funding to make their economies more environmentally friendly.
If there is no agreement on the claims, the meeting will probably be considered a failure.
What has been agreed upon so far in terms of funding?
Rich countries promised to provide $100 billion in funding to poorer countries by 2020.
In 2018, they last provided only $78 billion. Three-quarters of the money offered is loans that must be repaid. That’s a problem for many poor countries that are already in debt.
Climate change finance, or “climate finance,” is a key issue that will be discussed at the conference.
Expectations for the success of this meeting
This meeting is expected to lead to progress in addressing ever-rising temperatures.
Wealthy countries will be asked to provide an additional $100 billion in funding.
Reducing electricity production from coal would be an achievement, but very difficult to achieve given previous meetings.
So it’s not just about reducing carbon emissions, it’s about communities and nations affected by climate change.[1]
Article Sources
[1] https://www.khaosod.co.th/
[2] https://climate.nasa.gov/resources/global-warming-vs-climate-change/