Tuesday 23-11-2021 - 12:58

 

Whether you’ve been watching news updates intently or just heard the occasional mention from your friends, navigating what’s been happening at COP-26 (26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations) can be confusing. It’s spanned over several weeks, put the spotlight on a lot of large organisations who have an impact on our climate and overall instigated “eco-anxiety” for many.

We thought it would be helpful to go through each of the proposed goals, what’s been agreed as outcomes and how all of us as individuals can help contribute to saving our planet’s future.

Source: Just Energy

 

Securing global net-zero and world temperature put at 1.5’c:

 

It’s widely known that global warming has been increasing and causing mass complications across the world in climate change. Having this as a COP-26 goal was deemed even more important when findings earlier last month in the United Nations Environment Programme Gap Report showed we are were on track for an increase to 2.7’C by the end of the century.

What were the outcomes?

Scientists showed at the conference that in order to keep us at a 1.5’c temperature then global emissions would need to be cut by 45% by 2030. The outcomes of this have been left in the air a bit with major contributing countries like USA, China and Saudi Arabia needing to come up with bigger concrete plans by the end of 2022. However, the Prime Minister has said this aim is “still alive” and doable, and the UN have promised to have annual checks to assess climate plans and to have this as a focal pressure point at COPs every year to put pressure on these nations.

The good news is that as a nation we were pushing towards net-zero anyway and cutting the majority of fossil fuel projects for more renewable ones. Other countries are now following in the UK’s footsteps, with 90% of countries wanting to get “phase down” fossil fuel energy production and this will be the first time “fossil fuels” are explicitly included in the UN Climate Agreement.

What can we do?

• Try walking instead of driving or getting the bus
• Unplugging and turning off electrical appliances e.g. chargers, laptops, game consoles
• Wrap up warm and avoid central heating where possible

 

Source: The Scotsman

 

Mobilise Finance:

 

Money is needed to support all the changes caused by climate change. This includes finances for developing countries to make the transitions to greener resources and for countries feeling the highest impact of our changing climate.

What were the outcomes?

Wealthier countries failed to meet their previous goal of $100 billion mobilised by the year 2020 so this was a common point brought up during the conference. With many “deep regrets” said by these countries they have made a new promise to achieve this by 2025 and to support poorer countries to be more resilient to weather caused by climate change with investments in sea defences, stronger power grids and better early warning systems.

What can we do?

• Write to your local MP urging them to commit to this goal
• Know where your food and resources come from, try to shop locally

 

 

Work together to adapt to changes and protect communities

 

Basically, this is a plan that will be successful when people across the world commit to having climate change as a forefront issue and ensure environmentally friendly practises are a part of our daily lives. At COP-26 this included aiming to reach common time frames, transparency between nations regarding their emission levels and making communication plans for each country to adapt to the changes occurring in our world.

What were the outcomes?

Richer countries agreed to now support poorer nations who were facing losses due to weather damage, 130 countries promised to “work collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030” and 130 countries pledged to reduce methane emission by 30% by 2030.

What can we do?

• Encourage yourself and those around you to make one change in your life to be more sustainable – whether that be one less product with palm oil, a couple of vegan meals a week or drying your washing on the line instead of a machine (if Manchester rain allows it)
• Educate others – either through talking to your friends or something more formal like volunteering in schools 
• Think of a way campus could Make a Change and work with The Union to start a campaign