Will It Be A Cop Out?

Occasionally, over the past 2 weeks or so, you may have heard the phrase ‘Cop27’ in the media. I write ‘occasionally heard’ here deliberately. In the days leading up to, and including a few days after the 8 November 2022, the phrase was very newsworthy. Since then, Cop27 has indeed been used occasionally by our media with limited coverage of what is a very important event.

What is Cop27?

The title relates to a Conference which falls under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). The UN has many areas of interest where it tries to influence and bring Nations together under their banner to promote specific international causes. One of these is climate change, this is given the name ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’. As part of this, an annual Conference is held in different places around the world called the Conference Of Parties (Cop). This year is the 27th year it has met, we therefore get the title Cop27. Cop27 is being held in Egypt at Sharm el-Sheik. It follows on from Cop26 which was held last year in Glasgow.

In 2015 at Cop21, which was held in Paris, a landmark agreement was signed by most of the worlds nations to keep world global temperatures below 2°centigrade of pre industrial levels and to try and limit them to 1.5°centigrade. Countries also agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and targets were set. This has become known as ‘The Paris Agreement’. The Paris Agreement also stated that nations would review the targets every 5 years. Due to Covid this was postponed for a year and Glasgow Cop26, met primarily for this purpose. Various pledges were made by nations at Glasgow. Among these was to ‘phase down’ the use of coal and other fossil fuels. Another key pledge of Glasgow was to significantly increase funding to help poorer countries use cleaner energy and mitigate the effects of climate change. (These 2 issues have been very news worthy and highly contentious in the last few weeks with the fuel protests on our motorways and roads, and the discussions about what some called reparations for poorer countries).

Yet, even though this was agreed in Glasgow, it wasn’t seen as sufficient to slow down the rise in emissions to the required levels. Therefore, nations agreed to return to the table in 2022 at Egypt with stronger individual national commitments.

Almost 200 countries signed the Glasgow agreement, but within the agreed timeframe (23 September 2022) just 23 nations had submitted improved targets. This has been largely put down to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has caused rising fuel and food prices and a threat to energy supplies which is leading to recession. As a result of this some countries have increased (not reduced) their coal and fossil fuel production to meet energy demands.

What is it hoped Cop27 will achieve?

Good question!

Cop27 is an enormous event. There are approximately 35,000 delegates. Amongst these are some 90 heads of state. Throughout the conference specific themes are being focused on where workshops/sessions will look at themes like ‘mitigation’, taking steps to reduce emissions. ‘Adaptations’, where the focus has been on adjusting vulnerable countries to the impact of climate change. ‘Loss and damage’, is looking at the thorny issue of compensation to countries affected by climate change and finally the even thornier issue of ‘finance’, where those attending will consider how much the richer world will give to the developing world to assist and compensate them in adapting to the whole process. This is a very difficult issue, as the poorer nations, are those who are deemed to be more vulnerable. They feel they are bearing the brunt of climate change and that the wealthier countries are not honouring financial promises previously made.

At the outset of the conference, it was hoped that progress would be made on all these important issues although expectations were low.

My Thoughts

This issue is key to the future of our world and will affect us all in so many ways. Within the UK as I write this, there are 2 themes which seem to be the focus of our media. The first of these is our economy. This is believed to be heading for recession with inflation now at its highest point for over 40 years. Controlling the rise in global temperature is essential to ensure that we can continue to grow affordable food and reduce the risk of flooding and drought. (There are also many other issues affecting our nations infrastructure which cannot be listed here).

Whilst, the UK is relatively protected from climate change when compared to many countries, we are expected to have experienced our warmest year on record in 2022 and throughout the year we’ve continually heard of weather records being broken. This has brought us drought during summer and our own floods throughout the year. Therefore, although we are protected in ways that many other countries cannot be. We are not unafected. Dealing with the outcome of rising global temperatures, is and will continue to have, an economic impact on us.

The second topic which seems to ‘major’ in our medias focus are refugees and/or economic migrants. How to deal with this is causing great angst within the UK and this is producing what I regard as some extreme measures of dealing with the matter. (I don’t want to focus on these now as they are well covered in our media). But, what does seem to be overlooked is that unless climate change is addressed the situation will only get worse. As flooding becomes more widespread, as it has done in Nigeria and Pakistan this year. As islands and other land masses around the world face the serious possibility of disappearing altogether, we will see a growing problem of where these ‘displaced’ people will live. The outcome of this is that we will see more of what have become known as ‘Climate Refugees’. People who have who lost there homes, have nowhere to live and have become displaced. They will need accommodating somewhere.

I could never be regarded as an ‘eco warrior’, but I am a concerned citizen who looks at these issues, tries to do my small thing to help allay the consequences of climate change. But, I also realise that what I am doing/can do, is so small and insufficient. I am truly blessed to live in a nation which is ‘less affected’ by the outcomes of global warming. But I realise that it is essential that our world leaders get a real grip of the situation and help people like me understand how we can truly make a difference - because as Ive already said, the things I am doing now seem so small and insignificant. Of course, the old maxim of ‘every little helps’ is true, but this won’t effect real change. That must come and can only be achieved at an international and national level. We need courageous leadership that takes us along the path to that essential change. I’m happy to follow that path, but I need to see it clearly marked out and the difference which I (and everyone) can/will make by following it. At the moment things seem very confused, with self interest taking priority. The time has come to act and take actions which will ensure we protect the planet for ALL OF US (all of us is in bold capitals, because I’m not just referring to the fortunate few) and of course future generations who inherit the legacy we leave.