Over the course of the next two weeks at the UN Climate Change Conference (Conference of Parties- COP28) in Dubai, parties (governments), negotiators, business leaders, civic society organisations, among others, will gather to assess global efforts to advance the key Paris Agreement aim of limiting global warming to as close as possible to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. 

As the climate crisis worsens around the world, COP28 which begins today  will be a decisive moment to act on climate commitments and limit global warming.

The governments will make decisions on ways to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and on adapting to the impacts of climate change, on Loss and Damage, a fund for vulnerable countries hit hard by natural calamities, and on the means to help countries green their economies and build resilience to climate change through finance, technology and capacity-building.

India at COP28

After Glasgow in 2021, prime minister Narendra Modi will attend the annual climate change conference, the second in three years.

The 28th edition of the COP28 to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will run till Dec 12.

Today, 195 parties (194 states plus the European Union) have joined the Paris Agreement. The latest report from UN climate change finds national climate action plans remain insufficient to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Even with increased efforts by some countries, the global stocktake (GST) report shows much more action is needed now to bend the world’s emissions trajectory further downward and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

The latest science from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that GHG emissions need to be cut by 43% by 2030, compared to the 2019 levels.

This is critical to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C by the end of this century and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, including more frequent and severe droughts, heatwaves, and rainfall.

Statements on the eve of COP28

On the eve of COP28, president designate, Sultan Al Jaber said, “We need to reduce the gap between ambition and action. Those who promised must deliver. Those who pledged must act. I will hold every country and every stakeholder accountable to keep the 1.5°C target within reach. I aim to achieve the highest ambition in the Global Stocktake decision.

“Despite all of the noise you hear, in fact, that noise is helpful because it helps you to focus on the task at hand. We feel that the prospects of an extraordinary outcome are at hand…and we will step up to deliver it.”

UNFCCC executive secretary Simon Stiell said, “On the eve of the COP28, the problem is clear: Business-as-usual is breaking our planet. At COP28, leaders must get to work fixing it. We are ready to help them deliver.”

The first part of the high-level segment for delivery of national statements by heads of state and government will take place from Dec 1 to 2 during the World Climate Action Summit.

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) report is a stark warning ahead of COP28: If governments want to keep the 1.5° C goal alive, doubling efficiency progress this decade is crucial.

What is a loss and damage fund?

The Loss and Damage Fund is a reparation package where rich nations pay a damage cost to developing nations, which are more vulnerable to climate change. 

The establishment of a Loss and Damage Fund was the highlight of the United Nations Climate Conference (COP 27) in Nov 2022 and the culmination of decades of pressure from climate-vulnerable developing countries by rich countries. The fund aims to provide financial assistance to nations most vulnerable and impacted by the effects of climate change.

For instance, The African continent contributes the least to climate change yet is the most vulnerable to its impacts. African countries that contribute so little will have to spend up to five times more on adapting to the climate crisis than on healthcare. 

Also, Pakistan has seen US$30 billion in damages from severe flooding but emits less than 1% of global emissions. G20 countries, meanwhile, represent around 75% of global greenhouse emissions. 

(With inputs from IANS)

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