Jump to content

2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 144.85.244.96 (talk) at 11:01, 16 December 2018 (→‎Context). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference
Date2–15 December 2018 (2018-12-02 – 2018-12-15)
LocationKatowice, Poland
Also known asCOP24 (UNFCCC)
CMP14 (Kyoto Protocol)
CMA3 (Paris Agreement)
Organised byPoland
ParticipantsUNFCCC member countries
Previous event2017 United Nations Climate Change Conference
Websiteunfccc.int/katowice
www.cop24.katowice.eu

The 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference is the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: COP24,[1] also known as the Katowice Climate Change Conference. It was held between 2 and 15 December 2018 in Katowice, Poland. The conference agreed on rules to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement, part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Context

"Change the system, not the climate" at the People's Climate March in Paris, on 8 December 2018.

After the United States left the Paris Agreement, China has taken a leading role by hosting many of the preparatory meetings in the weeks beforehand.[2]

In November 2018, the World Meteorological Organization released a report stating that 2017 atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reached 405 parts per million (ppm), a level not seen in three to five million years.[3] In October 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C.

Speeches

On 3 December 2018, the noted British naturalist Sir David Attenborough told delegates at the conference that:[4]

Right now we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale, our greatest threat in thousands of years: climate change. If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.

On 4 December 2018, 15 year-old climate change activist Greta Thunberg addressed the summit and explained the severity of the problem this way:[5]

What I hope we achieve at this conference is that we realise that we are facing an existential threat. This is the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced. First we have to realise this and then as fast as possible do something to stop the emissions and try to save what we can save.

The same day, the 14th Dalai Lama wrote to the participants of the conference: "Climate change is not a concern of just one or two nations. It is an issue that affects all humanity, and every living being on this earth. This beautiful place is our only home. We have to take serious action now to protect our environment and find constructive solutions to global warming."[6]

Al Gore told delegates they faced “the single most important moral choice in history of humanity”.[7]

António Guterres the Secretary-General of the United Nations told “We’re running out of time. To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change. It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal.” The IPCC special report is a stark acknowledgment of what the consequences of global warming beyond 1.5 degrees will mean for billions of people around the world, especially those who call small island states home. This is not good news, but we cannot afford to ignore it.”[8]

A US energy official, Preston Wells Griffith, senior director for energy and environment, said on 10 December 2018: "We strongly believe that no country should have to sacrifice economic prosperity or energy security in pursuit of environmental sustainability."[9] He added also: "We can achieve all of these goals and they are complementary."[10] During his speech, he reinforced that impression: "Alarmism should not silence realism."[11][12]

Result

The conference agreed on rules to implement the Paris Agreement, which will come into force in 2020.[13]

Due to difficulty to reach agreement between parties, some difficult questions such as ways to scale up existing commitments on cutting emissions, ways to provide financial help for poor countries and whether countries are doing enough to cut their emissions (in the light of the IPCC report) were postponed to the next conference.[13]

David Waskow, of the World Resources Institute, said the deal was "a good foundation for countries to go about implementing the Paris agreement" and added that "It sets the direction of travel and will spur countries to take action. Now countries need to go home and do their homework, by increasing their commitments [on emissions]".[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "COP24 KATOWICE UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE". Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  2. ^ Leslie Hook (16 November 2018). "China emerges as powerbroker in global climate talks". The Financial Times. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  3. ^ Matt McGrath (22 November 2018). "Climate change: Warming gas concentrations at new record high". BBC News. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  4. ^ Carrington, Damian (3 December 2018). "David Attenborough: collapse of civilisation is on the horizon". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2018. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  5. ^ Carrington, Damian (4 December 2018). "'Our leaders are like children', school strike founder tells climate summit". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  6. ^ Tenzin Dharpo, We need serious action now, Dalai Lama to participants of COP24 climate meet, Phayul.com, 4 December 2018
  7. ^ Climate change talks lead to heightened pledge to cut emissions The Guardian 12 Dec 2018
  8. ^ "Climate change talks lead to heightened pledge to cut emissions", The Guardian, 12 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Saudi, US snub of climate report unsettles UN talks". www.mangalam.com. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  10. ^ Paola Tamma, Kalina Oroschakoff (10 December 2018). "White House takes America First approach at COP24 summit". POLITICO. Retrieved 15 December 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  11. ^ "Saudi, US snub of climate report unsettles UN talks". www.mangalam.com. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  12. ^ Goodman, Sam (10 December 2018). "Activists, Trump Administration Clash Over U.S. Energy Future". La Ruta del Clima. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  13. ^ a b c Fiona Harvey, "Progress and problems as UN climate change talks end with a deal ", The Guardian, 15 December 2018 (page visited on 16 December 2016).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2018_United_Nations_Climate_Change_Conference&oldid=873986056"