It is Difficult to be Optimistic about Climate Action at COP 24

The 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), runs from 2 to 14 December, in Katowice in Poland. The conference is expected to finalise the rules for the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, made at COP 21 in 2015, to reduce carbon emissions to keep global temperatures below a 1.5C rise above pre-industrial levels.

The actions required of nations to meet the commitments of COP 21 are not binding, and rely far too heavily on techno fixes, most of which do not yet exist in largescale. Some of the targets handed to participating countries are also massaged, to make them easier to hit, and investment by rich countries to help poorer countries adjust to renewable energy sources, has not been fully met.

The United States, of course, under President Trump, has now withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, and is making cuts to climate science research and expanding the use of coal, which the burning of emits the most carbon of any fossil fuel. Reuters reported earlier this month that President's Trump team will "set up a side-event promoting fossil fuels" at the conference. So, all in all, even before the conference starts, it is very difficult to have any optimism that serious progress will be made in Katowice.

Coming on the back of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which stated that we have at most twelve years to drastically reduce carbon emissions, a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says that concentrations of key gases in the atmosphere have hit a historic high and there is no sign of a reversal in this rising trend.

Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached 405 parts per million (ppm) in 2017, a level not seen in 3-5 million years. We need to be below 350 ppm, to keep within the COP 21 target, of not rising above 1.5C of pre-industrial levels.

All the scientific evidence points to urgent and wide ranging action needing to be taken to reduce CO2 emissions drastically. But as the name gives away, this is the 24^th time that politicians from around the world have met in an effort reduce carbon emissions, but still haven’t taken enough action to make the kind of impact needed.

The problem is, that burning fossil fuels to provide the energy for our economic system of productivism, is what drives economic growth, and therefore provides wealth, is not compatible with reaching climate change goals. Yes, we should be moving to renewable sources of energy much faster than we are, but if growth keeps rising, as it must within the logic of the system, it is unlikely to ever be enough.

We need a great transformation of our societies and global economy, to use less resources, and to focus away from increasing GDP, if we are to have a realistic chance of stopping catastrophic climate change. The modest goals of COP 21 which this conference is meant put into action, falls way short of what needs to be done.    

About 20,000 people from 190 countries will take part in the event, including politicians, representatives of non-governmental organizations, scientific community and business sector. 

The United Nations has also created a "People's Seat" for the public to "virtually sit" and share their views alongside government leaders at the climate talks. To join the effort, tag your thoughts with hashtag #TakeYourSeat on social media.

This is your chance to put pressure on delegates, and help to save the planet.