Where do we go after COP 26?
Episode
16
Published:
Updated:
December 7, 2021
With COP 26 in the rearview mirror and gaps still remaining, we explore what needs to be done in order to keep warming from reaching a tipping point.
With COP 26 in the rearview mirror and gaps still remaining, we explore what needs to be done in order to keep warming from reaching a tipping point.
Call or send a message to your U.S. Senator telling them to pass the Build Back Better Bill with all its climate provisions intact.
Fossil fuel interests are lobbying to water down the climate legislation. We need to ensure our Senators know it's critical for this bill to take robust climate action.
Potential Talking Points
U.S. House passed Build Back Better Bill
Would mark biggest climate investment in U.S. history at half a trillion dollars
Electric vehicle rebate increases from $7,500 to $12,500 for cars manufactured in U.S. by union labor
Extends tax credits for solar panels, geothermal pumps, small wind turbines, etc. that cover up to 30 percent of cost
$6 billion for home electrification like converting to electric heat pumps where rebates range from $1,250 and $4,000
$6 billion to support home energy efficiency retrofits with rebates ranging from $2,000 to $4,000
Raises $100 billion in tax revenue from fossil fuel companies
Sources
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2021/11/19/climate-biden-spending-bill/
What's in 'Build Back Better' Plan? Biden Framework Includes $555B for Climate - Bloomberg
Global climate summit
Acronym stands for “conference of the parties”
This was 26th summit and 27th will be in Egypt next year
Formal Goals
Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach
Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats
Mobilize finance - mobilize at least $100bn in climate finance per year by 2020.
Work together to deliver
Sources
https://ukcop26.org/cop26-goals/
Insufficient climate finance
Developed countries committed in 2009 to provide $100 billion / year by 2020 through 2025
Funding intended to help developing countries become greener and more climate resilient
Hit $79 billion in 2019
Loss and damage fund
Vulnerable countries have been advocating for it
Intended to cover things like disappearing land, loss of life, and livelihoods
Developed nations like U.S. pushed back
Ended with agreement to more dialogue
With 2 million people at risk of starvation in Kenya due to an extreme drought this year, Keriako Tobiko of the country's Ministry of Environment and Forestry called the compromise a disappointment. "What we have in mind is not giving money to consultants to fly around and to come educate us, teach us about what loss and damage is," he says.
2030 targets
New pledges narrow gap 15-17%
Countries lagging
Best case - 1.8 degrees Celsius of warming considering all existing pledges / targets
Current real-world policies - 2.7 degrees Celsius
Methane reduction goal
As a gas, it’s ~ 80 times more potent than CO2
Over 100 countries pledged to cut methane 30% by 2030
Includes ~ 50% of global methane
Deforestation pledge
Halt deforestation by 2030
Over 140 countries have signed on
Covers over 90% of all forest land
Includes Brazil and other key tropic forest countries
Vehicle pledge
No further sales of fossil fuel powered cars by 2040
Auto makers
Notable countries that signed – U.K., all of Scandinavia, India, Canada
Aiming for all zero emission vehicles in leading markets by 2030
Other key developments
First time acknowledging need to phase out coal and get rid of fossil fuel subsidies
Commitment to revisit / strengthen 2030 targets by end of 2022
The U.S. and China agreed to work together to "strengthen and accelerate climate action and cooperation" in the near-term. "It's the first time China and the United States have stood up — the two biggest emitters in the world — and said, 'We're going to work together to accelerate the reduction,' " John Kerry said.
Sources
Drought puts 2.1 million Kenyans at risk of starvation | Global development | The Guardian
Glasgow’s 2030 credibility gap: net zero’s lip service to climate action | Climate Action Tracker
Homepage | Global Methane Pledge
A reminder on global emission sources
21% Industry
25% Electricity
24% Ag, Forestry, other land use
14% Transportation
6% Buildings
10% Other
Emissions reductions needed to avoid catastrophic climate impacts
Need to eliminate coal by 2030 to stay within 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming
Congressional hearing held with oil executives October 28th. Asked if they would pledge to stop lobbying against climate action and electric cars, they said “no”.
Sources
Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data | US EPA
Glasgow’s 2030 credibility gap: net zero’s lip service to climate action | Climate Action Tracker