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Summit on climate change carries positive message

Published : Friday, 30 April, 2021 at 12:00 AM  Count : 673
Md Zillur Rahaman
US President Joe Biden took the initiative of the United States to re-join the Paris Climate Protocol on the first day of his power resumption on January 20 of this year. A few days later on January 27, he pledged a summit to be held very soon to strengthen the efforts of rich economies to tackle the climate crisis. President Biden had invited 40 world leaders to the Leaders' Summit, a summit on climate change, held on April 22 and 23. The "Leaders Summit on Climate Change" has focused on the urgent need for climate action and its economic significance.

In recent years, scientists have stressed the need to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in order to delay the extreme effects of climate change on Earth. The main goal of both the Leaders Summit and COP-26 is to support efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and to keep this goal achievable. Joe Biden's summit also highlighted how climate-oriented ambitions can create better-paying employment opportunities, develop innovative technologies, and help at-risk countries adapt to climate change.

Joe Biden told the summit, "These steps will put the US on a path to cut a net zero emissions economy not later than 2050. But the truth is America represents less than 50 per cent of the world's emissions. No nation can solve this crisis on our own, as I know you all fully understand".

The Biden administration has been under immense pressure from environmental groups and climate scientists to commit to an emissions cut of at least 50per cent, compared to 2005 levels. Cutting emissions in half globally by 2030 is seen as necessary if the world is to meet UN goals to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The most ambitious emissions-cutting goal of the US has set to date, Biden's expected pledge of a cut of 50 per cent to 52 per cent, is still likely to face criticism from environmental groups that say it falls short of restoring the US to a position of leadership. The European Union, for example, has pledged at least a 55 per cent cut by 2030, while the UK has promised 68 per cent by 2030 and a whopping 78 per cent by 2035.

The US is pressing the world's largest emitters, all of whom were invited to the summit, to make equally ambitious cuts. But after Trump abandoned the Paris Protocol, other countries are closely scrutinizing US actions to see whether Washington will back up its tough talk with action and whether that action will be politically durable.

China's President Xi Jinping, the first world leader to speak at the summit, reaffirmed that his country aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and would, he said, "strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030." The commitments are not a new pledge, but are seen as ambitious for China, which is the world's biggest carbon emitter. Still, China's targets fall behind those of other developed nations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, made no specific commitment at the summit, saying in his country's state speech that he had set a goal of significantly limiting actual emissions to Russia by 2050.

At the summit, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina called upon the developed countries to formulate an ambitious action plan immediately to reduce global carbon emissions. She emphasized that in order to keep global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius developed countries need to immediately adopt an ambitious action plan to reduce carbon emissions. She also presented a number of suggestions at the summit. Firstly, we need to ensure an annual target of US $100 billion in funding, which will maintain a 50:50 balance between adaptation and mitigation.

These funds will play a significant role in mitigating the vulnerabilities of communities at risk of climate change. Secondly, major economies, international financial institutions, and the private sector need to make special concessions to climate financing as well as innovation in tackling climate change. Thirdly, we need to look at green economics and carbon emissions technologies. To this end, technology needs to be exchanged between countries.

However, the International Energy Agency (IEA) recently predicted that global CO2 emissions would rise alarmingly this year. On the other hand, the UN World Meteorological Organization has warned that the global climate crisis has become more pronounced last year and will continue this year. The IEA report says the COVID-19 pandemic has almost stopped the wheel of the economy around the world. The economy is being revived by overcoming that stalemate. Coal is one of the materials used in this economic recovery. This will result in the emission of so much carbon dioxide in 2021, which is the second highest in history.

The IEA's annual review report, Global Energy Review, said global CO2 emissions would increase by about 5per cent this year. In other words, in 2021, a total of 33 billion tons of CO2 may be emitted. Last year, however, CO2 emissions were reduced due to lockdowns and restrictions on movement in the country due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Scientists say that in 2019, the highest amount of CO2 has been emitted in recent history. However, the IEA says that even if emissions increase this year, it will not surpass 2019, and that in 2021, global energy demand will increase to pre-epidemic levels. As a result, the use of gas and coal will increase this year.

Climate change risks include thunderstorms, excess rainfall and flooding in coastal areas, which have already become apparent. These issues came up in the 2014 evaluation of the committee formed by the governments of different countries.

The main goal of the Paris Climate Protocol, which is supported by 189 countries, is to prevent global warming and to provide financial assistance to the poor countries already affected by climate change. In this historic agreement, the countries of the world agreed to keep the average rate of global warming below two degrees Celsius or, if possible, one and a half degrees. Joe Biden's climate summit will surely bring a positive message to the affected countries of the world.
Md Zillur Rahaman, Banker and Freelance Contributor






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