In the light of what emerged from the recent world conference on climate change, we would like to briefly highlight some points of interest.
Taking into account that every decision must be taken by the 196 participating countries, with all the diverging positions that such a vast audience presents, with very different economic and social needs, unanimous consensus is not easy. The results obtained are therefore important.
Considering 3 of the main objectives it emerges that:
Mitigation, i.e. eliminating net emissions by 2050 and limiting the increase in temperatures to no more than 1.5 ° C compared to pre-industrial times, will lead to an acceleration of the elimination of coal, reducing deforestation and increasing the use of energy renewable. Having inserted a much stricter limit (only in 2016 in the Paris agreement the reference was 2.0 ° C), is one of the most important results of COP26. This limit implies that the climate policies, implemented by the different countries, will necessarily have to be updated and strengthened, given that the 1.5 ° C target will not be achieved with the current development models.
Adaptation, i.e. supporting the most vulnerable countries to mitigate the impacts of climate change, for the protection of communities and natural habitats, will lead to a series of actions aimed at doubling international funds for adaptation works to such impacts. A work program was also approved to create the “Global Goal on Adaptation”, aimed at defining the indicators to monitor the adaptation actions of countries. And in conclusion, on the issue of defining the financial instruments to deal with the damages suffered “Loss and Damage”, a “dialogue” has been planned which will end by 2024, for the establishment of a fund for warning systems and minimization of losses and damage resulting from climate change.
Finance for the climate, i.e. mobilizing financing to developing countries, even if the goal of 100 billion USD per year, by 2020 has not been achieved, (despite the fact that in 2019 they have almost reached 80 billion), in at the conference, however, there were commitments by countries and various financial institutions to increase their contributions to this end. According to estimates updated by the OECD, the 100 billion mark could be reached by 2023, with the positive prospect of gradually increasing the commitment in the following years.
In conclusion, we can affirm that, even if not everything is moving in the right direction, as for example the deforestation of the Amazon, the green lung of the world, and in China new coal plants are returning to show up, a growing awareness especially in the new generations to burning environmental issue and a desirable strong progress in knowledge and technologies, can undoubtedly make us more positive with regard to the political and economic sustainability that underlies a broader global sustainability, BUT all of this is not enough, it is indeed necessary to move towards COP27 by doing hear the voice of the single inhabitant of the planet …. we will continue to make our best!
