The global need for sustainable solutions has become increasingly pressing, with environmental challenges affecting every corner of the world. In response, the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) is a pivotal platform for nations to come together and find collaborative solutions. COP provides an opportunity for countries to share their experiences, exchange knowledge, and work towards the common goal of sustainable development.
As we move closer to COP28, it's important to take stock of the progress made at the previous conference, COP27. By reflecting on the outcomes of COP27, we can identify areas for success and improvement.
What is a COP Event?
A COP event is an annual gathering of countries that are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The gatherings assess the progress in dealing with climate change and negotiate how to further the progress through implementing policies, actions, and goals. COP events are a chance for nations to discuss and negotiate various climate change-related issues, targets, and solutions.
Significant milestones have been seen since the beginning of the COP events 28 years ago and continue to evolve as new policies and strategies come into play for years to come. The COP conferences attract global attention as leaders and policymakers from 197 countries join together to discuss and work towards agreements, providing a demonstration of how we need to work collaboratively.
These events play an instrumental part in agreeing and discussing important international agreements and policies shaping the way we battle against climate change with a coordinated and cooperative approach.
Key Outcomes of COP27
With various discussions occurring during COP27, there were key takeaways that are vital to how we move forward with approaching climate change. With the world in a critical position, it is vital to make a complete switch to help the planet, the following points are crucial to make a difference:
Establishing Dedicated Funds and Support for Loss and Damage in Developing Countries
Finance is crucial to combat climate change; from rebuilding the damage caused by extreme weather to funding jobs and technology needed to implement sustainability. Funding needs to be created to fully support the actions in order to receive the desired results. COP27 has opened this gateway, creating hope that more finance talks will be seen at future COP events.
Maintaining A Clear Intention to Keep 1.5°C Within Reach
During COP27, it was stated that “limiting warming to around 1.5°C requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 at the latest, and be reduced by 2030”.
Currently, we are off course in maintaining the 1.5°C mark. The 2020s is a crucial decade for climate action as we are approaching the set goals yet nowhere near achieving them. Working together and supporting each other is essential to reach these goals. As next year's COP event will be the last event before the 2025 goal, we are expecting limiting warming to be a key topic this year.
Holding Businesses and Institutions Accountable
It is important that industries take a proactive approach to being accountable for their sustainability and should not just be a façade. Sustainability is a commitment; therefore, transparency is needed to communicate their progress with a comprehensive strategy surrounding all aspects of operations.
Making the Pivot Towards Implementation
Implementation of the policies and pledges made during the COP events needs to be turned into action. It was expected that COP27 would be all about implementing previous statements, however, this was not the case despite a statement being made regarding implementation at the beginning of COP27. Perhaps with the established need for finance and funding being made last year, COP28 will be the year to implement policies.
During COP28, we are expecting to hear more about these points, how they have been built upon for the past year and what we can do to implement policies to battle climate change. With a goal to reduce the temperature by 43% before the end of the decade, it is crucial for progress to be made otherwise we will continue to be off track; all countries need to make extra efforts to act against climate change.
Previous Milestones
The Conference of Parties (COPs) have been meeting for almost 30 years to set crucial policies and achieve goals. What progress has been made during this time?
Kyoto Protocol – In 1997, an agreement was decided that industrialised and developed countries and economies should commit to limiting and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with set targets.
Paris Agreement – In 2015, a treaty was created and adopted by 196 parties to limit the temperature to 1.5°C and see a 43% decline by 2030. This is a momentous moment for reducing climate change as this brought all countries and nations into agreement on combating climate change. All countries are required to submit their national climate action plans to demonstrate and highlight their ambition and plans to reduce climate change.
Glasgow Climate Pact – Following the Paris Agreement, in 2021 it was agreed that the decade of 2020 would be a decade of climate action. This pact included stronger efforts to reduce climate change, curb the amount of greenhouse emissions produced worldwide, and provide funding for both. It was also highlighted that there was a need to reduce the amount of energy and fuel we generate from coal and fossil fuels, requiring a need for renewable and sustainable energy.
Loss and Damage Fund – In 2022, it was established that a fund was necessary to support those who were affected by the unavoidable risks of climate change, which will become more frequent and severe the longer we do not act.
Last year's ‘lost and damage’ fund was a needed breakthrough. Developing countries are hit the hardest by climate change and extreme weather, but without the funding, they are unable to restore what was once there – leaving people injured, homeless, unemployed, and unable to provide for their families.
Adaptation was one of the largest areas of development in COP27 with the most breakthroughs. The loss and damage fund will be further established and discussed in the forthcoming COP28 regarding finance adaption, transition, and new arrangements. This will aid in the goal of climate finance for 2024, which will focus on the needs of developing countries that are the most vulnerable to climate change.
Without these changes being discussed and made, we are creating a more dangerous world to live in as time goes on. Despite some breakthroughs peaking their way through last year’s COP27, more needs to be done. COP28 will be an opportunity for essential actions to be taken, especially as we get closer to the key deadlines set as part of the sustainable targets.
What Can We Expect From COP28?
With COP28 just around the corner, here are a few themes and topics that we hope will be spoken about and progress more as time starts to run out in the fight against climate change.
Extreme weather has affected everyone around the world, with 2023 being the hottest year on record. We have seen everything, from wildfires, flash floods from torrential rain, and the hottest average temperature ever to be recorded. This clearly shows that we are not moving fast enough to fight against climate change. This year COP28 will be hosted at Expo City, Dubai by the United Arab Emirates. The following are topics and themes that we can expect to be discussed at COP28:
Paris Agreement progress
Low-cost renewable energy innovation
Climate disasters and the ongoing food crisis
Technology and innovation
Inclusion
Frontline communities
Finance
This year's COP brings a human perspective to how climate change is impacting our communities and nations. Focusing on policies that can protect lives and boost investments in livelihoods and community resilience will for better preparation of extreme weather events that are occurring more frequently due to climate change. The beginnings of this were seen in COP27, with funding being available for those countries facing severe damage caused by climate change. However, the design and operation of this funding has yet to be disclosed.
Reviews will be carried out to see how we can best adjust to the speed at which climate change is going. We will need to adapt the way we do things in order to fight against climate change. A focus on finance, innovation and technology, is required to turn the goals, policies and promises into accountable actions and results. This will aid in the decarbonisation of our world by implementing technologies and methods that can reduce the greenhouse gases that we are emitting.
With the increasing pressure of climate change, we all need to get involved and play our part. One key theme that will see an increase in exposure is communities, equality, and education. Empowering people from different communities, genders and ages is crucial. To thrive in a greener world, education, skills, and jobs will need to be addressed and adapted to what we require.
As the time ticks in the climate change fight, it is detrimental that action is now made. Progress was made during last year’s COP27, however, more is needed. With the breakthrough of funding for extreme weather being made, we need to continue in that direction to make developments, but at a much quicker pace.
In summary, we believe that we can expect the following from COP28:
Discussions of the Paris Agreement to be made, and the actions needed to ensure temperatures do not rise further
Technology and innovation to be a large theme, especially in:
Reporting and holding industries accountable
Renewable energy
Application of funding for restoring damage created by extreme weather and climate change
Increased education and visibility to all communities regarding sustainability and climate change
Discussions on how we can resolve the ongoing food crisis and agriculture
