As COP26 is just around the corner, one question begs an answer. Are nations taking their environmental commitments seriously enough?
COP26: How likely are nations to abide by their environmental commitments?
The past
A little over four years since Donald Trump pulled the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, nations are due to meet once again to discuss the dire environmental consequences that our world faces and has already started to experience. Expectations are mixed. While pledges to adopt more aggressive policies in favour of sustainability from the likes of the US and China are raising hopes, many still question whether the meeting will have any true impact on the current state of affairs. So, let’s take a look at the facts.
A National Geographic report from 2019 stated most countries are not hitting their 2030 climate goals, suggesting that “countries need to double and triple their 2030 reduction commitments to be aligned with the Paris target.” The report also found that out of the 184 pledges for 2030, about 75% were insufficient and that China and India will, in fact, have higher emissions in 2030 than they have now. Moreover, the UN found that only 113 countries has submitted their updated pledges before COP26.
But then, less than a year later, COVID-19 happened. The pandemic led to a sharp, albeit temporary, reduction in CO2 emissions. Reports that people in India could see the Himalayas for the first time in decades due to reduced air pollution were shared all across social media. Traffic jams seemed like a distant memory from the past in densely populated areas such as Los Angeles. Air, sea, and road traffic were down, meaning humans were polluting less. For a brief moment, there was hope that that could perhaps be the new normal. But once countries began picking up the pace and returning to normality, it became apparent that humans were not willing to let go of overconsumption and unsustainable lifestyles so easily.
The Future
Now, as COP26 approaches, all eyes are on what decisions will be taken. Developed countries are particularly being scrutinized as many argue that they should be the ones leading the way. To make things more complicated, all 191 parties must reach a consensus, otherwise, there will be no agreement. The world has transformed immensely since the 2015 Paris Agreement, and while there is significant pressure, especially from younger generations, it is not yet known whether this will be taken seriously by the decision-makers. Ultimately, one thing is true. The COP26 will have a tremendous impact on the collective future of all living species – and whether this impact will be positive or negative is entirely up to us.
Sources:
https://www.ft.com/content/530d4550-34dd-4b94-aa0a-ec7d442c076e
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/himalayas-visible-lockdown-india-scli-intl/index.html
