As the world gears up for the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the anticipation is palpable. Following the momentum set by previous climate conferences, COP28 holds the promise of critical discussions and decisions that will shape the global response to the climate crisis. In this blog, we will explore;
COP stands for "Conference of the Parties." It refers to the meetings of the member countries (Parties) that are signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC is an international treaty adopted in 1992 with the goal of addressing climate change and its impacts. The COP meetings are the supreme decision-making bodies of the UNFCCC.
The COP meetings are held annually around November and provide a platform for countries to come together to discuss and negotiate climate-related issues, share information on their progress in dealing with climate change, and make collective decisions on international climate policy. These conferences play a crucial role in shaping the global response to climate change.
The most well-known COP meeting is COP21, held in Paris in 2015, where the Paris Agreement was adopted. The Paris Agreement is a landmark international accord that aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It was adopted by 196 parties and forms the basis for many climate change policies that have been adopted by businesses and organisations in the last 8 years.
The 5 main takeaways of COP27 were:
This year's climate conference is taking place between the 30th of November and the 12th of December. It is likely it will build on the ideas brought forward at COP27, clarifying what they mean and developing them further.
COP28 is set to focus on 3 fundamental areas:
Our co-founder and CEO, Greg Gormley, has been out in Dubai watching COP28 unfold.
The most important draft agreement that has been made so far is the reduction of fossil fuels. The document, which will have been agreed to by almost 200 countries by the end of the summit, calls for a reduction in fossil fuels. This is to be done in a manner which allows net zero to be achieved by 2050. However, the draft of this agreement created controversy due to the choice of language used surrounding fossil fuels. There was a focus on actions that ‘could’ be taken to reduce fossil fuels, rather than a direct plan for climate action.
As the summit draws to a close the draft agreement continues to be battled out as campaigners fear it is too watered down to make any radical change.
As COP28 is underway the world waits to see how the leaders of our nations will approach the challenges posed by climate change. The outcomes of the conference will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of global climate action in the years to come. Stay tuned for updates and insights as we navigate this crucial moment in the fight against climate change.
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