By Albert Baron Ansu
What is Climate Change for you? The answer is a myriad of ideas. It is something everyone can convey different opinions about from where they sit.
This is the way the global threat is living with us-patchy notions of a palpable problem. We are experiencing varied forms. But few manifestation of the problem can be stated in forms we can feel and see. We are saying the atmosphere is getting warmer, other knows the flooding and deluge of water in seasons that are as devastating and perilous for countries like the United States, Germany and China; not to forget about the draught hitting Kenya and the eroding of island settlements in Sierra Leone.
How do we put the environmental warmth in perspective? Scientific notions assert that the world is now about 1.2centigrades warmer than it was in the 19th Century and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen by 50%.
Then the question arises: why is the world getting warmer? There is the human factor, the emission of fossil fuel, deforestation and so forth. It must be pointed out that people in poorer developing countries tend to pollute less and not responsible for most of the emissions in past and present yet they are experiencing the worst effects of climate change.
What are the manifestations of the problem? Ice caps are melting and sea levels are rising, forest fires.
You are witness to one, two or all of the problems associated with climate change. Depending on your location and less susceptibility to the triggers of climate change you know little about the problem.
But the rest of the world especially our political leaders are supposed to know the gravity of the problem and the need for urgent action to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
What concrete actions have been done in response to climate change? First the United Nations as the highest global political structure set the legal framework as a binding instrument for global adherence in rolling back the threat of climate change.
You might have heard or not heard about the Convention on Climate Change-a treaty agreed in 1994. Whatever the case this document provides the global rule of engagement in dealing with climate change. A document containing idealistic principles and resolutions must not be empty of action plans and structures to drive the process of attaining the goal of reversing climate in tangible deeds.
So there has evolved from the UN Convention the Conference of Parties, COP. It represents that global rallying point of countries that signed the agreement. COP has been meeting since its conception and the one hosted in Glasgow is the 26th. So the idea of COP 26 is clear to us all.
We cannot zero in on what is unfolding in Glasgow COP 26without looking back to what preceded. COP 25 took place in Madrid Spain. The Madrid meeting ended with big issue unresolved but an agreement was made about cutting carbon dioxide. Every country resolved to take specific actions before the Glasgow conference.
We cannot run to what has now been achieved in Glasgow without understanding some other processes that have got us here.
You might have heard or not heard about the Paris Agreement, not so? It was COP 21. We recall that it was a big international agreement to tackle climate change back in 015 when in 2015 when 195 countries attended the session.
What were the key issues of the Paris Agreement? It says nations must reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced and increase renewable types of energy like wind, solar and wave power; keep global temperature increase well below 2c, that is 3.6F and to limit it 1.5 C; review progress made on the agreement every five years; spend 100 billion dollars a year in climate finance to help poorer countries to further finance in the future national mitigation actions.
Now, if we have arrived at Glasgow, we must not be caught by surprises as to the talking points. We have to take stock of what have been delivered on from the Paris Agreement. Too much disagreement and double speak from the developed nation on notions of reducing greenhouse emission. It remains a Catch 22 situation whereby some of the developed nations are making profits from greenhouse emission in the reliance of fossil fuel yet are under obligation to curtail the practice.
It is a fact; the past couple of years have witnessed unprecedented climate change disaster to have created the nudge for more sincere efforts and commitment to take concrete actions in reversing the worrisome trend.
COP 26 has turned out to be the most significant climate change since 2015 Paris Agreement. World leaders have been reporting on country specific progress. Decisions are tending toward new ways of cutting down carbon emissions.
For instance decisions are going to be life changing, with shift towards driving of electric cars, moving away from gas heating, eating less red meat and not taking as many flights in future.
But the sticking point is what has been called the fair share in the fulfillments of commitments between historic polluters and the developing nations. For example the 2015 civil society equity review unearthed that Russia’s pledge in fair share was zero, Japan was tenth, the US was fifth and the European Union was just over one fifth. China, India, Indonesia, Kenya and the Marshall pledges have exceeded their fair share.
At the heart of the equity question in the climate change conversation is the issue of financing. The south, developing countries are victims of what the North; the developing countries have wrought in environmental damage. This was why COP 15 at Copenhagen took the 100 billion annual payment pledge by 2020. The money itself is not sufficient for the harmful effect of climate change on the continent but it is essential to enable developing countries to adapt to impacts climate change, while also stimulate development especially at this post COVID 19 environment. We might have to await more COPs to resolve these niggling questions, not so? Surely, if we are to save Mother Nature, the Green Hope must supersede the anxiety and laxity. But we many people, black and white are getting more hopeless and restive and we can hear them crying out in the façade of COP 26 demanding climate change justice.