The race to protect the planet will accelerate when world leaders, business giants and experts gather for the Climate Ambition Summit on September 20.
Almost all indicators for keeping the Earth’s average temperature below 1.5 degrees, as agreed in the Paris Agreement, are on the wrong track or going in the opposite direction.
Extreme weather events are displacing millions of people, the world is overheating, and out-of-control wildfires continue to cause death and destruction, from Canada to the Greek Islands, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Arctic itself.
Coal, oil and gas still account for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, further fueling the climate crisis.
Although the damage caused by the climate crisis is already extensive and greenhouse gas emissions remain at record levels, Change is possible.
There have been many climate meetings, but this one is unique because it marks a crucial political milestone: all 193 UN member states will come together to demonstrate the global collective will for a fairer, greener and cleaner world for all.
UN News summarizes here the five things you should know about the summit:
Climate change protesters take to the streets in London, United Kingdom. (Archive)
1. Time is up
The climate crisis affects all people and all nations. Half of the world’s population already lives in danger zonesAccording to the UN, people are 15 times more likely to die from climate-related impacts. Almost 70% of all deaths are due to climate-related disasters over the last 50 years are in the 46th least developed countries in the world.
“The era of global warming is over; “The era of global boiling has begun,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently. “The air is unbreathable, the heat is unbearable and the level of profit made from fossil fuels and climate inaction is unacceptable. Managers have to lead. No more hesitation. No more excuses. No more waiting for others to act first. There is simply no time for it anymore.
Countries are being asked to phase out coal mining and coal use.
2. No-Nonsense Summit
When the UN chief announced the global event last December, he said he hoped for a “no-nonsense summit,” with no exceptions or compromises.
“There will be no room for setbacks, ecological bleachingtransferring blame or reusing statements from previous years“, he claimed.
A growing legion of nations, influencers and leaders are rising to power and mobilizing. Since 2015, the number of countries with national disaster risk reduction strategies has more than doubled. Many have joined initiatives such as the Secretary-General’s Agenda to Accelerate Climate Action.
The agenda, launched earlier this year, sets out the work governments, businesses and financial leaders need in 2023 to prevent dangerous climate thresholds from being exceeded and deliver justice to those on the front lines. That includes a call for countries to accelerate their efforts, commit to avoiding new sources of coal, phasing out their use and achieving the cleanest goal: net-zero emissions, he said.
Science clearly shows that global temperature rise must be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to prevent the worst effects of climate change and maintain a habitable planet.
3. Cleaner ambitions
Government leaders, particularly the biggest emitters, are expected to submit reports on how they are doing on meeting their commitments under landmark treaties such as the Paris climate agreement.
In addition, action plans, also called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), are expected. These include targets for the Green Climate Fund pledge, which helps developing countries create and implement their action plans to reduce emissions and increase resilience.
All major emitters, and in particular all G20 governments, are asked to commit to introducing more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions by 2025 absolute emission reductions and cover all gases.
A man cleans a solar panel in Niger.
4. Stop the ecological whitewashing of your image
Leaders of companies, cities, regions and financial institutions are expected to present transition plans in line with credibility standards endorsed by the United Nations, as outlined in the Integrity Matters report.
These voluntary net-zero emissions pledge standards are the only benchmarks of their kind that are fully focused on limiting global average warming to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial average temperatures.
The report calls for, among other things, strategies to stop and phase out fossil fuels, reduce emissions and commit to them publicly advocate for scientifically based climate protection.
5 Climate Justice Now!
The goal is to achieve climate justice. That means taking into account the world’s smallest polluters, who are struggling to cope with the increasingly dangerous burden on the largest emitters, particularly the G20 countries.
Summit participants will address the challenges and opportunities associated with accelerating the decarbonization of high-carbon sectors such as energy, shipping, aviation, steel and cement.
They are expected to present measures to enforce climate justice.
An idea of what this means in practice is Protect more people from climate disasters by 2027 and double adaptation financing by 2025.
The new loss and damage fund will also be inaugurated this year; the first funding mechanism of its kind to support vulnerable nations and the most notable outcome of the recent Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Change, commonly known as COP 27.
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Why is 1.5°C important?
The Paris Agreement requires countries to limit the rise in global average temperatures to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to “continue” to limit the rise to 1.5°C.
According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the difference between 1.5°C and 2°C is:
- The death of 70% or 99% of coral reefs
- Insects that are vital pollinators are twice as likely to lose half their habitat
- Ice-free summers in the Arctic Ocean, once a century or once a decade
- Another meter of sea level rise
- Six million and 16 million people will be affected by sea level rise in coastal areas at the end of the 21st century