The 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is held in Glasgow.
Over the course of several days the participants, including the world leaders, representatives of the state and private sector, as well as of the civil society, will discuss the possibilities of accelerating action to achieve goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The Turkmen delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet S. Berdimuhamedov participates in the Conference.
1. What can we expect from COP26?
The national leaders should take necessary measures for the emissions reduction, mobilization of financing and increasing of adaptation and sustainability. The countries are also offered to set an ambitious goal on the emission reduction by 2030, which will correspond to zero by middle of 21th century.
To reach these goals the developed countries should keep promises to mobilize not less than 100 billion dollars per year for the climate financing for the developing countries by 2020. The finance organizations of the state and private sector should also provide their funds required to provide the global net-zero emissions.
The parties will discuss several articles of the Paris Agreement, where a goal is set to keep the global warming in this century at level below 2°C, at that, efforts will be made to keep this level below 1.5 ° C.
2. What UNEP hopes to achieve on completion of climate talks?
UNEP hopes that COP-26 will lead to the activation of the global activity on three main directions of policy: mitigation, adaptation and financing. It means a reliable politic adherence, which lead to the activization of efforts of every country on national emissions reduction and climate change adaptation, known as the nationally determined contributions (NDC).
3. Why methane is important?
In the recently published UNEP report on emissions 2021: The Heat Is On, says methane is critical for short-term action to tackle climate change. It has a global warming potential 80 times greater than carbon dioxide in 20 years. But it remains in the atmosphere for only 12 years, which is much less than carbon dioxide. This means that cuts in methane emissions can reduce global warming faster and gain valuable time.
It should be noted that over 60 countries have joined the Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
4. It's already late? What can be done?
It's not too late. But Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, said “Climate change is no longer a future problem. It is a now problem”
Next eight years will be decisive to stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1,5 °C, to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions. In practice, this means that, besides the new nationally determined contributions, it is necessary to take an additional 28 gigatonnes of CO2 off annual emissions. For the 2°C target, the additional need is lower: a drop in annual emissions of 13 GtCO2e .
5. What will mean for the planet a rise in temperature by more than 2,7 °C?
Any temperature rises up to 2.7 ° C would be a disaster not only for humanity, but for many other species on the planet. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a temperature rise of even 2 ° C will have a serious impact on food, security and human health.
Insects vital for pollination of crops and plants are likely to lose half of their habitat at 1.5 ° C. The frequency and intensity of droughts, storms and extreme weather events will increase with each increase in temperature.
Has COVID-19 helped reduce air emissions?
Yes, COVID-19 pandemic actually led to a global reduction in CO2 emissions by 5,4% in 2020, but it was a temporary reduction. According to forecast, in 2021 году levels will be only slightly below the 2019 record high, as a result, CO2 concentration in air will be maximum for the last two million years.
Prepared: Ayjahan Ataballyeva
