UAE will be hosting annual meeting of COP28 from November 30-December 12 to take stock of the progress achieved on the measures agreed at COP27 and the commitments made by the participating nations to deal with the existentialist challenge of climate change with greater focus on ways and means to keep the temperature down to 1.5 Centigrade.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the main decision making body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It holds annual meetings to assess the progress made on commitments made by the industrial nations in regards to reduction in the emissions of green house gases and extending financial assistance and transfer of technologies to countries that are severely affected by this phenomenon. But the things have not moved the way they are desired to progress. At the COP 27 the creation of a Loss and Damage Fund to the tune of $100 billion was agreed to help and compensate poor countries affected by the climate change but it remains only a pledge till now.
Regrettably no credible and concrete steps have been taken by the global community to ward off the debilitating effects of phenomenon of climate change. Two international protocols have been signed according to which the industrial nations have made commitments to reduce the emissions of green houses gases and also help the poor nations who have been affected by climate change to deal with the impact of climate change. But the major pollutants are even showing reluctance to cut down on the green-house emissions preferring industrial growth over it. While it is acknowledged that fossil fuels are the real cause of climate change, new funding for fossil fuel exploration and production of infrastructure continues unabated. According to scientists we are already perilously close to hitting the 1.5°C limit that is the maximum level of warming to avoid the worst climate impacts. To keep 1.5 alive, we must reduce emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by mid-century.
Surely the major responsibility lies on the major polluters who also have the technology and finances to deal with the phenomenon. They must share it with the countries which are severely affected by climate change to make it a truly global effort to save the planet.
Pakistan is among the top 10 countries which have been bearing the brunt of this climatic onslaught during the last twenty years. Last year floods inundated a third of Pakistan. It was estimated that it would require at least 30 billion dollars to rebuild the infrastructures destroyed by the floods and to rehabilitate those affected by this unprecedented calamity. The UN secretary General António Guterres who visited Pakistan during the floods and flew over the areas that were affected acknowledged severity of the challenge to Pakistan and felt that it needed international help to cope with the situation.
UN Secretary General during a special session dedicated to climate change also reiterated “Pakistan is a double victim of climate chaos and of our outdated and unjust global financial system. The broken promises to rebuild the country present a litmus test for climate justice. Billions were pledged by rich nations in the aftermath of the disaster. Pakistan is still waiting for much of the funding. Delays are undermining efforts of the people to rebuild their lives. Some $9 billion was pledged to help reconstruct Pakistan, though it is still reeling from the effects of the heavy monsoon rains, which displaced eight million people and killed some 1,700. More than eight million residents in areas hit by the floods lack access to clean water. Pakistan is responsible for less than one percent of the greenhouse gas emissions that likely fueled last year´s climate chaos. The countries that contributed most to global heating must contribute most to righting the harm they have done.” The observations made by the UN Secretary General are right on money in regards to the insensitivity of the rich and industrial nations concerning their obligations for reducing emissions of green house gases and helping those nations which are severely affected by the climate change for no fault of theirs.
He has been expressing his concern on the permeating situation from all available platforms. In an article he categorically said “Fossil fuels are not the answer, nor will they ever be. We can see the damage we are doing to the planet and our Societies. It is in the news every day and no one is immune. Renewable energy is the answer — to limit climate disruption and boost energy security. Had we invested earlier and massively in renewable energy, we would not find ourselves once again at the mercy of unstable fossil fuel markets. Renewables are the peace plan of the 21st century. But the battle for a rapid and just energy transition is not being fought on a level field. Investors are still backing fossil fuels, and governments still hand out billions in subsidies for coal, oil and gas — some US$11 million every minute. As the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ripples across the globe, the response of some nations to the growing energy crisis has been to double down on fossil fuels — pouring billions more dollars into the coal, oil and gas that are driving our deepening climate emergency.”
The recipe suggested by the Secretary General if adopted honestly can undoubtedly go a long way in tackling the catastrophic challenge of climate change supported by other nature-based solutions such as reversing deforestation and land degradation. So too are efforts to promote energy efficiency. But rapid and renewable energy transition must be our ambition. Transition to renewable energy besides dealing with climate change also has other enormous advantages.
The switch-over will reduce energy prices and make them more predictable besides contributing in a big way to food and economic security. The only way the challenge of climate change can be amicably tackled is for the industrial nations to heed the warning and fulfill their commitments regarding reduction in green house gases and showing solidarity with the poor countries to cope not only the effects of the climate change but also to contribute towards the efforts to removing the root-cause of the phenomenon. Delaying the required action would affect the entire world including the major polluters.