Graphic courtesy of Yujin Kim ’23
The 26th Conference of the Parties, also known as COP26, kicked off in Glasgow on October 31. The summit brings countries together in an attempt to solve climate problems and accelerate action toward the goals set by the Paris Climate Accord and the UN Framework of Convention on Climate Change. It is hosted by the UK and will run from October 31 to November 12.
This meeting was able to excite international politics ahead of the COP26. In it, G20 countries pledged to end overseas financing of coal projects, reduce methane leaks, and promised to bolster national plans to cut emissions “where necessary.”
Although the conference isn’t over, the direction has already been set. The opportunity for decisive action among the various world leaders and delegates has already passed. This conference is unlikely to change humanity’s actions and is likely to result in failure.
Time and time again, countries across the globe have failed to meet goals set by preceding climate conferences. The Paris Climate Accord, which allowed countries to set their own emission-reduction standards, did nothing to compel countries to stick to those goals. A report conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that the planet is likely to be 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels in 2030. The UN warns that some potential consequences of this failure are global military conflicts, mass migrations of populations, greater terrorist threats, and food insecurity.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the COP26’s most enthusiastic proponent, said he was only “cautiously optimistic” that change could come. Before the conference, Johnson claimed that the climate crisis was a soccer match in which the world was losing five goals to one.
On November 1, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, laid out India’s climate pledges. He pledged that India would reach net-zero emission by 2070, half of the country’s electricity would be renewable by 2030, and that it would cut its carbon-dioxide emissions by one billion tonnes. However, while this is a step in the right direction, India is not likely to stick to that commitment. Indian officials believe it is unrealistic to expect the country, which is highly dependent on coal, to meet its goals given the country’s developing economy.
The third day of the COP26 opened with 100 countries pledging to end deforestation by 2030. Countries such as Russia, Brazil, and Canada all signed the agreement which covers around 85% of the world’s forests. In return, countries will receive $19 billion in funding from public and private sources. However, previous pledges made in the past have failed to slow deforestation.
“Finance Day,” on November 3 opened with Britain’s pledge to be the first “net-zero aligned financial center.” This means that the government will encourage all British financial institutions and British stock market companies to publish plans detailing how they will decarbonize their operations. However, environmentalists worry that the target will encourage financial firms to sell polluting assets rather than actively try to reduce emissions by the companies they support.
The following day, countries offered a global carbon budget — an analysis of carbon-dioxide sources and sinks — produced by the Global Carbon Project. This year, it predicts, that emissions from fossil fuels are set to bounce back by 4.9%, thus almost returning to their pre-pandemic levels. People in inflatable “Pikachu” costumes campaigned against Japan’s coal industry across from the COP26 venue. While on the inside, leaders from more than 40 countries committed themselves to phasing out the usage of coal for power.
On Friday, November 6, Brazil, which has been a challenging participant in previous climate summits, announced two climate initiatives: a revamp of a low-carbon agriculture plan and a new green growth program in an attempt to look greener. Several thousand protestors, joined by Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate, flooded the streets of Glasgow as a part of a “Fridays for Future” march.
Even though countries and corporations are pledging to do their part, the evidence suggests that there is little reason to believe that change will actually happen. Unfortunately, as the planet warms and more action is needed, climate change action is most often used as a political tool, rather than an attempt to save the planet.
