While some positives came out of the recently held 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP-26), which has been dubbed the most important climate conference since the 2015 Paris agreement, the overarching position is that there is still a great deal of work to be done to keep the global warming goal of 1.5 °C within reach by the year 2030.
Minister for Climate Resilience and the Environment, Senator Simon Stiell affirmed this reality when he met with reporters during this week’s post-Cabinet media briefing in St. George’s, almost two weeks after participating in the climate change conference, which ran from October 31 – November 12 in the City of Glasgow, Scotland.
The 2-week conference brought together representatives from over 190 countries to accelerate action towards the goals of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and sought to operationalise and enforce agreements made in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which embodies global efforts to keep the rise in mean global temperature to below 2 °C (3.6 °F) above pre-industrial levels, and preferably limit the increase to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), to substantially reduce the devastating impacts of climate change.
Minister Stiell, who played a role at the Glasgow discussions, expressed disappointment that although developed countries are responsible for the challenges that are faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Grenada, they are “reluctant” to move to address issues concerning the ability of these vulnerable countries to minimise loss incurred after a climate change-related event, how they can accelerate recovery and access resources that may be required.
“This is a highly contentious issue. We were able to progress that agenda but not to the level (that) vulnerable developing countries wanted,” he said.
The minister pointed out that “the challenges in terms of making an impact on minimising global warming, and in terms of the wealth and the resources to tackle it lies with the group of 20 richest countries (called) the ‘G20’ countries,” which constitute “close to 80% of global emissions and 85% of global GDP.”
China has been the largest emitter in recent years, producing more than a quarter of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, while the world’s largest historical emitter, the United States, is now the second-largest emitter, according to international reports.
Minister Stiell referred to the science which shows that although “global warming is currently at 1.1 degrees…we are on a trajectory to hitting 2.7 °C by the end of this century, which will be devastating not only for us but for all countries.”
The electricity and transport sectors are said to account for over 70% of the local carbon footprint, with efforts to be concentrated on reaching 100% of electricity generated through renewable energy, and 20% of vehicles being powered by renewable energy sources by the 2030 deadline, as part of the government’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions by 40% of its pre-2010 level by 2030 through its revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which is at the heart of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Sen. Stiell stressed that keeping the 1.5 °C target within reach all “boils down to the actions that countries have to take, all of us in terms of reducing global warming to that (the) target number of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, and why that number is so significant is, as the globe warms the impacts on our climate are felt.
“Here in Grenada we know all too well, whether it’s through hurricanes, increased frequency, intensity, sea-level rise and the impact that it is having on our coastal communities, droughts, floods, how that’s impacting us in terms of water (and) food security, our very way of life, and not to mention our economies,” he said.
According to Minister Stiell, “recognising the science was a critical component” of the Glasgow meeting, he said that “some countries are far more aware as to what is happening and what needs to be done than others”.
“…There was almost universal acceptance of the science and the actions that are required,” he said, as he also spoke of a call that was made for recognition of all the special vulnerabilities of small island states like Grenada, which are classed as “middle income” countries, a classification which makes it difficult for them to access certain concessional and grant funds.
Additionally, he reported that a call was also issued to international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank (WB) with regards to “special drawing rights for (a portion of the) money that has been printed by developed countries to support their COVID pandemic stimulus programmes be allocated to vulnerable developing countries in their fight against climate change.”
The Climate Resilience and Environment Minister said that COP-26 also concluded with an agreement for the “doubling of adaptation finance,” for vulnerable countries to mitigate the effects of climate change, and adaptation, which he emphasised is “absolutely critical for countries such as Grenada, who do not produce significant emissions but are heavily impacted by climate impacts, even at this 1.1 °C level where we currently stand”.
“So, the requirement for more resources – financial and technical – to help us adapt to this changing environment was critical and we came out of Glasgow with an agreement that those finance flows will be doubled from approximately $20bn per year to vulnerable states such as ours, up to US$40bn,” he told reporters.
According to Minister Stiell, countries also agreed to a “phased-down” approach in the use and production of coal, which is considered the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the scaling down in the burning of fossil fuels, and support through financial subsidies for the fossil fuel industry in terms of putting limits on its use.
“The gap is still significant…but we were able to keep that all-important target of 1.5 °C alive, and that process continues next year, and the year after…until we achieve those targets,” he said.