COP26 – What does the Environmentalist’s say....
All favorable and promising talks have not culminated into concrete goals and actions on ground...
This year 2021, UK is hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021. There have been some positive developments, including pledges to end and reverse deforestation, agreement to reduce methane emission levels by 30% by 2030 and new commitments to phase out coal power.
No single party is happy with the effectiveness of the carbon emission targets set and countries failing to adhere to them. As of now EU has asked that it wants the final document of the UN COP26 climate summit in Glasgow to denounce insufficient ambition in the fight to reduce greenhouse gases. In a nutshell, this is what has happened.
Indeed, there is a gap between the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to fight climate change and the goal to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to the intermediate summary of the German delegation.
After the appearance of speakers from countries all over the world, the young Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg took to the stage today for Youth Day at the UN conference, COP26.
People waited to see her on the Youth Day, especially after her absence at the COP26 discussion panel.
She began with a powerful statement saying “What will it take for the people in power to wake up?” She lashed at world leaders, media and everyone else at large.
“Let's be clear, they are already awake. They know exactly what they are doing.” Her words were a clear criticism to the leaders for not discussing the 'root causes' of the climate crisis which, she said, are 'colonialism and beyond'. She was direct - 'COP26 is a PR event to fight for the status quo’, leaders are giving beautiful speeches and fancy commitments and targets.” “This is shameful.” “Out here, we speak the truth. The people in power are obviously scared of the truth. No matter how hard they try, they cannot escape from it. They cannot ignore the scientific consensus. They cannot ignore us, the people.”
She termed COP26 as “the most exclusionary COP ever,” commenting that people at the sharp end of the climate crisis remain unheard. She added that the event could be considered a “two-week-long celebration of business as usual and blah, blah, blah.”
Later Ugandan climate justice activist, Vanessa Nakate,Vanessa Nakate took on to stage. She is fighting for the planet as well for the marginalised voices to be better represented in the environmental movement. “We are in a crisis, we are in a disaster that is happening every day. Floods are ravaging different parts of Kampala, different parts of Uganda and across the African continent,” she said. Africans are suffering, in spite of responsible for mere 3% of global emissions, they need to be on the front page of the Newspaper, as they are already on the front lines of the climate crisis.
People waited to see her on the Youth Day, especially after her absence at the COP26 discussion panel.
She began with a powerful statement saying “What will it take for the people in power to wake up?” She lashed at world leaders, media and everyone else at large.
“Let's be clear, they are already awake. They know exactly what they are doing.” Her words were a clear criticism to the leaders for not discussing the 'root causes' of the climate crisis which, she said, are 'colonialism and beyond'. She was direct - 'COP26 is a PR event to fight for the status quo’, leaders are giving beautiful speeches and fancy commitments and targets.” “This is shameful.” “Out here, we speak the truth. The people in power are obviously scared of the truth. No matter how hard they try, they cannot escape from it. They cannot ignore the scientific consensus. They cannot ignore us, the people.”
She termed COP26 as “the most exclusionary COP ever,” commenting that people at the sharp end of the climate crisis remain unheard. She added that the event could be considered a “two-week-long celebration of business as usual and blah, blah, blah.”
Later Ugandan climate justice activist, Vanessa Nakate,Vanessa Nakate took on to stage. She is fighting for the planet as well for the marginalised voices to be better represented in the environmental movement. “We are in a crisis, we are in a disaster that is happening every day. Floods are ravaging different parts of Kampala, different parts of Uganda and across the African continent,” she said. Africans are suffering, in spite of responsible for mere 3% of global emissions, they need to be on the front page of the Newspaper, as they are already on the front lines of the climate crisis.
Even former US President Barack Obama had something similar to say about the ineffectiveness of the goals to reality. Meanwhile, at the conference, it is still not determined as to when is the deadline of the urgency towards climate crises.
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