So, did anything of substance come from COP 26, or just more hot air?
Let’s dive in, shall we……….
Where do we start, here we go, this is the 26th UN climate change Conference, like many before, little will change in the short term, nor do I believe will it be in the long run.
But less of the skepticism, more of the “meat and gravy”.
I spotted some of the better points, but some areas still need much thought, here is my take.
- Alignment must be found between public and private funding, the big spenders moving trillions of US$ flushing through the markets, they have agreed to support and irradicate climate change, problem, putting the finance in the right countries or area’s will and still is a monumental issue.
- A great win around Article 6, within the Paris Agreement, a deal was made whereas the carbon markets will have international governance on the carbon marketplace, thus ensuring emission reduction will no longer be counted twice or double-counted throughout countries.
- Here is a Big One for me, recognition of nature. Great strides were made in stopping deforestation, this attracted more attention than in many years of fresh air and missed targets. Preserving nature as an integral part of climate change, certainly grabbed a chunk of the limelight.
- Government agreements certainly require more commitment to become much more accountable, but promises and government agreements were made, along with private sector pledging, a small step forward, let’s monitor this and see where it goes.
- The building sector, whilst the agenda is growing away from fossil fuel usage, the construction industry must build towards carbon neutrality, it will remain a big problem to legislate through government, or the private sector having to be emersed in regulation.
Optimism is abounded, as excitement and positivity grows
The host nation of Scotland is very bullish on its commitment to net zero, coming in by 2035.
India lagging with their plans, changed to phasing down, rather than phasing out by 2060, their thinking was, that more developed countries should bear a greater share of remaining carbon budgets.
The Big 2, the United States and China, released a totally unexpected commitment, firstly the US by 2035 to be fully renewable energy (electricity). China did not go that far but committed to bringing down coal usage by the early second half of this century, not what I believed everyone wanted, but a move in the right direction, in many minds.
Some new collaborations between these two giant nations abounded, these are to reduce methane emissions, new technology in the field of carbon reclaiming or capturing with storage, technologies that remove carbon from our air, and a brand new technology, which in truth is still well underdeveloped as we speak. This technology is one I see as a “go-to” just to climb the dizzy heights of emission reduction, and commitments being carried out.
Beyond oil and gas alliance (BOGA)
A newly launched platform that brought new optimism to COP 26, driven by the Denmark & Costa Rica, and joined by, France, Ireland, Quebec, Greenland, Wales, and Sweden as its founding members.
California, New Zealand, and Portugal are fully on board with affiliates. Italy is aligned with the thinking around BOGA, but for now, has no stomach to be involved.
Let us hope some head banging will drive this initiative forward, some highly advanced countries are involved, and with collaboration and technology, surely great achievements are just around the corner.
Remember:
“You’re in business for yourself or country, but, not by yourself”.
New goals have been set to reduce emissions to net-zero by 2050, or around that date, depending on which theory “fits the bill”.
As a finish to this post, I am in the belief if we don’t change, the planet will change us, then we become a spare part in a much bigger black picture, it is as plain as the light of day, melting icebergs, polar landscape disappearing, animal and plant species gone forever, and at an alarming rate, its common sense COP 26, but the people at these conferences sometimes do not use rational thinking or common sense.
What does not make common sense, is flying around the World in Gas Guzzling Jets?
I’ll leave it there, over and out, The Straight Talking Guy.