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Information Booklet (view source)
Revision as of 17:08, 28 September 2021
, 17:08, 28 September 2021→Distribution and fairness
The difference in impact between those most responsible for causing climate change and those most vulnerable to its impacts are difficult to comprehend. The wealthiest 1 percent of the world’s population are responsible for twice the emissions of the poorest half<ref name=":10" />.
The difference in impact between those most responsible for causing climate change and those most vulnerable to its impacts are difficult to comprehend. The wealthiest 1 percent of the world’s population are responsible for twice the emissions of the poorest half<ref name=":10" />.
The industrialized nations that became rich from burning fossil fuels have the best resources to lead now. In the light of different national circumstances, the Paris Agreement calls for “rapid reductions” of emissions to be achieved “on the basis of equity, and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty”<ref name=":23">[https://unfoundation.org/our-common-agenda/climate-report/ United Nations Foundation, Climate Analytics and E3G. The Value of Climate Cooperation: Networked and Inclusive Multilateralism to Meet 1.5°C. (Washington DC, 2021)] </ref>.
Today there is an increasing focus on adapting and adjusting to the realities of climate change. Adaptation is specifically discussed in the Paris Agreement. What adaptation to climate change looks like will be different for different communities in different parts of the world.
The warmer the world becomes the greater each sector is affected. The greater the degradation of ecosystems, the more difficult it will be to adapt. Poor and marginalized communities – including those in wealthy countries – lack the basic capacities needed to adapt to current levels of warming<ref name=":10" />.
In many cases, adaptation will not be possible at all, for example in some places agriculture will no longer be possible due to higher temperatures and lack of water resources. Developing countries are, in general, most vulnerable due to the impacts being greater, coupled with a lack of financial, and technological infrastructure<ref>[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11625-020-00807-9 Loss and Damage and limits to adaptation: recent IPCC insights and implications for climate science and policy]</ref>. Moreover, the marginalization of these communities has typically been tied to the very processes that cause climate change, including colonialism, exploitation of resources (often while degrading the ecological resources that support local livelihoods) and fossil fuel–driven capital accumulation<ref name=":10" />.
Richer countries will have more resources than poor countries to adapt to the demands of a changing climate, meaning that there is a need for financial aid and technological assistance to poorer countries. The greater the degree of warming the greater the impacts on societies, economies, human health and ecosystems, hence the greater the challenge of adaptation.
Of the 192 countries that have submitted pledges to the Paris Agreement, 127 (including India) are partially or totally conditional. This means that without international finance or technical support, these pledges may not be implemented. These conditional pledges were mostly put forward by countries that lack the financial capability to reduce emissions as well as the technological and institutional capacity<ref name=":9" />.
Many of these commitments may not be implemented because, so far, little international support has materialized<ref name=":9" />.
The issue of climate change also brings up questions of generational responsibility. Older generations benefitted the most from economic development as a result of burning fossil fuels, whereas younger generations will – and are – suffering the consequences.
= '''10. Glasgow and beyond: what’s needed next?''' =
The climate and ecological emergencies are already with us and getting worse as greenhouse gas emissions continue to grow and humans continue to destroy biodiversity. The damages from climate change are worse than expected a decade ago, and are already being felt across the globe. To keep the goal of limiting warming to a maximum 1.5°C within reach, significant reductions in emissions are needed in the 2020s, as well as in the following decades.
The past five years have had some successes. Solar and wind power have turned out to be much cheaper and easier to implement than predicted, electric vehicles are becoming more common and available, and low carbon technologies are competitive in a growing number of markets. There is increasing recognition that emissions need to be reduced in the sectors that are the toughest to decarbonize, such as aviation. A 2018 report on the aviation industry found that current plans to update technologies and improve operations will not mitigate the expected fuel demand and emissions<ref>[https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/roadmap-decarbonising-european-aviation/ Roadmap to decarbonising European aviation]</ref>. Roadmaps are emerging for taking on emissions from heavy industry.
Now that the goals of the Paris Agreement have been set, the Glasgow COP26 is expected to be about creating a more detailed roadmap of how to achieve them. Some important questions for the conference will include how to transition away from fossil fuels and how to convert net-zero pledges into action. To develop the next stages will require leadership on all levels, from individuals to businesses and investors, to government<ref name=":9" />. Amid the ongoing disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, decision-makers are distracted. Collaboration and cooperation between individuals, institutions and countries will be key.
One way to strengthen the goals of the Paris Agreement will be to encourage countries to make legally binding commitments that cover all emissions. The EU and the UK are among the countries to have made their Paris commitments legally-binding, but have not necessarily put the policies in place to achieve those commitments. More governments need to make their commitments legally binding<ref name=":23" />.
One key issue that must be addressed at the Climate Change Convention (COP26) and the Biodiversity Convention (COP15) is financing and technology cooperation. Most developing