‘The Decarbonisation Challenge’, is the title of today’s COP27 theme. The day looks further into keeping 1.5℃ in sight, Net Zero commitments and achievements and cutting carbon across industry.
“1.5℃ to stay alive”
Today, scientists have warned that as we have already warmed the planet by 1.1℃ since pre-industrial times, any rise from now must be limited to 1.5℃ by 2100, to mitigate the risk of worsened effects. They stated that if we continue as we are, the planet could warm by more than 2℃ by 2100. And if we are to take no action at all, there’s potential for rises to exceed 4℃ which would be detrimental to all life on planet Earth.
A new report by the Global Carbon Project suggested that CO₂ emissions are rapidly increasing and that there is now a 50/50 chance the world will exceed the 1.5℃ limit that was agreed upon by almost 200 countries in the Paris Agreement of 2015. The United Nations commented that progress on cutting carbon emissions has been “woefully inadequate” since the COP event last year.
Outside, a protest was staged by medical professionals from around the globe as they performed CPR on an inflatable earth, whilst others spoke about their real-life experiences of climate change on their patients. They stated what is needed is “1.5℃ to stay alive”.
President Biden’s speech
Re-entered into the Paris Agreement upon the election of President Joe Biden, the United States has been noted to have a critical role to play in the reduction of global emissions, which many were intrigued to hear about in Biden’s speech this afternoon.
In the highly anticipated speech, President Biden stated “we need to double down on our climate commitments” and had a strong focus on the role of methane. He celebrated how his Global Methane Pledge, announced last year, now had the signatures of those within the EU and over 130 other countries, which should look to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. He commented that with methane accounting for nearly half of the net warming, reducing it will be our “best chance to keep within reach of 1.5℃ target”. Today, the US released an updated Methane Emissions Reduction Act Plan, stating how they are meeting the pledge. It includes their investment of over $20 billion in domestic methane mitigation to improve industrial equipment and regulatory actions, whereby the Environmental Protection Agency will strengthen standards on methane across sectors, particularly super-emitters.
Be sure to keep up to date with the latest developments at COP27 on our insights page.
-Further Reading-
COP27 Day 1 & 2: World leaders take the stage
COP27 is well underway in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, as speeches from António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, among others opened the event.
COP27 Day 3: Finance day and building resilience
Exchequer Secretary James Cartlidge will set out how innovative new loan agreements will support the most vulnerable counties to the effects of climate change.
COP27 Day 4: Science, youth and resilience
The fourth day of COP27 continues the theme of resilience with a spotlight on science and future generations.
