Goals for the 2021 Climate Summit
The annual UN Climate Change Conference is set to take place next week in Glasgow, Scotland. In the past, this event has produced major changes in environmental policy, and encourages international cooperation to tackle the climate crisis. This year there are four main goals the forum is looking to achieve: hitting net zero by 2050 and staying within the 1.5 warming limit set in the Paris Agreement, adapting to protect communities and natural habitats, mobilizing finance to vulnerable communities and motivating the transition to a sustainable economy, and encouraging global coordination to achieve these goals. As these aims are ambitious, the UK has released a roadmap to achieve them, and hopes global collaboration will assist in their actualization.
Mitigation
In order to stay within the 1.5 degree warming limit set by the Paris Agreement, emissions must be halved by 2030 and must reach net-zero by 2050. 2020 marked the end of the first 5 year period set for countries to update their emissions reduction targets, with the expectation that countries will produce their 2030 targets prior to Glasgow. In order to meet the goal of halving emissions, countries are encouraged to focus on phasing out coal power entirely and financially assisting developing countries with building clean energy systems. This transition also focuses on reforming the automobile industry to switch to zero emissions vehicles, with the UK specifically looking to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars in the country by 2030. Lastly, mitigation requires a focus on protecting and expanding forests to continue removing carbon from the atmosphere and looks to support farmers in the transition to sustainable agricultural practices, such as cover cropping.
Adaptation
The conference looks to acknowledge the already present effects of climate change, and is seeking to mitigate these effects and support vulnerable communities. Adapting to climate change requires infrastructure that is capable of withstanding the effects of flooding and extreme weather in order to prevent further loss of life and property. As well as this, protections for ecosystems such as natural storm and flood defenses are needed to prevent further loss of habitat. In support of adaptation, several countries developed the Adaptation Action Coalition in partnership with the United Nations Development Program with the goal of producing and promoting solutions to the impacts of climate change.
Financing
Massive amounts of funding is needed to successfully mitigate the effects of climate change. In particular, developed countries are being reminded to fulfill their commitment to provide $100 billion in climate finance annually to developing countries. In addition to this, the conference is looking to promote the idea that the climate must be considered in every financial decision making process, both public and private. Lastly, the conference is aiming to encourage corporate transparency and private financing in order to achieve a sustainable economy as soon as possible.
Collaboration
Fighting climate change requires global commitment -- achieving the other three goals set for this conference is not possible without it. The conference is consensus based, and relies on cooperation between countries to produce equitable solutions that prioritize vulnerable communities, while listening to the concerns of those already being affected by climate change. The transition to a sustainable economy will not take place without genuine commitment and teamwork from the global community.
The global Climate Summit often serves as testaments of goodwill, but without action, the aims that these conferences look to achieve will not be fulfilled. This year's conference serves as the first benchmark point since the Paris Agreement, with countries expected to produce their carbon mitigation goals for 2030. Reaching net-zero by 2050 will be challenging, but with renewed commitment to transition to a sustainable economy at this year's conference, this goal is within reach.
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