The climate emergency is a direct consequence of carbon-heavy land-use and agriculture, transport, buildings and industrial processes and polluting energy sources. Without profound changes to these sectors and a drastic cut to carbon footprints, there is little hope of protecting the planet from the devastating effects of a warmer world.
Below are climate-related news and events from the United Nations and partners.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, Inger Andersen, has issued a call for concerted climate action on the eve of COP28.
In an op-ed in the influential Washington D.C.-based newspaper, The Hill, Andersen underlined the need for increased climate adaptation finance to the most vulnerable communities: "There is a clear moral and climate justice imperative to protect the people least responsible for the climate crisis. There is also a clear economic case for investing in adaptation now to minimize future costs."
Andersen also called for progress on the Loss and Damage Fund and the Global Goal on Adaptation, both issues set to take centre stage at COP28.
UNEP's COP28 Pavilion will open on Thursday, November 30, ushering in 12 days of events and panel discussions about the most pressing climate and environmental topics humanity faces.
Each of the 12 thematic days's events will be available to view on a live webcast at the Pavilion website here.
We will also be featuring a preview of each day's key events every morning here as well as the latest news from Dubai.
A photo exhibition highlighting those on the front lines of climate change will take place during COP28. Loss and Damage in Focus: 10 Years of the Warsaw International Mechanism features three UNEP photos.
The exhibition will officially launch on 1 December at 6.30pm in side event room 2 of the Blue Zone across from Meeting Room 8. Visitors can also drop by the exhibition anytime during COP28.
Every COP has a Green Zone and a Blue Zone but it’s sometimes confusing what happens where and what the difference is.
In short, the Green Zone is open to everyone, the public (if they have tickets), delegates and guests of the Blue Zone, the public and private sector and NGOs.
The Blue Zone is managed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and hosts the formal negotiations that take place across the two week COP process. The Blue Zone is only open to accredited party and observer delegates.
COP28 will be held in Dubai this year at Expo City where the Blue Zone and Green Zone will be right next to each other.
Climate finance will be a key topic of discussion during COP28, with pressure growing on developed countries to implement the US$100 billion year in climate finance promised to developing countries at COP15 back in 2010.
As highlighted in UNEP's recent Adaptation Gap Report, the current adaptation finance gap is now estimated to be US$194-366 billion per year. It also found that adaptation finance needs of developing countries are 10-18 times as big as international public finance flows. This is over 50 per cent higher than the previous range estimate.
Another key finance-related topic at COP28 is the Loss and Damage Fund, which refers to the unavoidable impacts of climate change that go beyond what communities can adapt to.
There hope that countries will agree on the scale and source of funding and start releasing funds to the countries most effected by the climate crisis.
UNEP will publish its State of Finance for Nature Report during COP28 which will highlight finance short flows when it comes to sustainable land use.
It requires fundamental shifts in the incentives provided by governments, such as through fiscal policies and trade agreements, as well as the will to act by agribusinesses, traders and financiers towards nature- and climate- positive land use.
Yet, current finance flows to Nature-based Solution are US$200 billion, only a third of levels needed to reach climate, biodiversity and land degradation targets.
Find out more about UNEP's work on climate finance here.
UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report, released yesterday, shows the world is off-track to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. The report finds that the world is heading for a 2.5°C to 2.9°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels this century, which would result in catastrophic effects around the world.
The annual Emissions Gap Report charts the difference between national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the reductions required to keep the global temperature rise well below 2°C by the end of this century, in line with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.
September was the hottest recorded month ever, with global average temperatures 1.8°C above pre-industrial levels, and extreme weather events caused by climate change have become more frequent in recent years.
The report – first published in 2010 – also features solutions for bridging this emissions gap. It has gained a reputation as an authoritative source of timely, policy-relevant information that has informed the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The 23rd annual meeting of the Regional Seas Programme is beginning today in Barbados. The meeting, organised by UNEP, is a coordination mechanism of the eighteen regional seas conventions and action plans.
Established in 1974, the Regional Seas Programme brings together governments, the private sector and civil society in a bid to protect the marine and coastal environment.
This week provides a platform for adoption of global strategies for cooperation, channelling UNEP support to the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans and will attempt to reach agreement on important marine and coastal environment-related issues.
How countries – particularly developing countries – adapt to the climate crisis will be a key issue during COP28.
Last week UNEP launched a new policy brief on adaptation, providing a snapshot summary of lessons learned from various UNEP adaptation projects.
National Adaptation Planning: Emerging Lessons Learned from UNEP Projects focuses particularly on six countries that have progressed the furthest in their National Adaptation Plans – Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Iraq, Nepal, São Tomé and Principe, and Zimbabwe.
Learn more about National Adaptation Plans and why they're so important here.
Sunday, December 10 is Food Systems Day at COP28, with a focus on how the production, consumption, and disposal of food has a huge effect on the climate and the environment.
UNEP will publish its Food Waste Index Report on that day, which will highlight the sheer volume of food being wasted around the world.
The 2021 report estimated that 8-10 per cent of global emissions are associated with food that is not consumed.
So, how much do you know about the global food system? Why not take this quiz and find out.
Friday sees a number of UNEP events on the final day of Asia-Pacific Climate Week.
At 9am local time, this event aims to enhance the understanding of the needs of youth and older people in urban areas when it comes to climate adaptation. Participants will also discuss barriers in bringing generations together and highlight solutions in building inclusive urban resilience.
At 9am, this event aims to shape region-wide priorities essential for accelerating transformative adaptation, while making progress in addressing both adaptation and loss and damage within the context of the Global Stocktake and the Global Goal on Adaptation.
Energy efficiency is a vital part of tackling the climate crisis, and this event, at 9am, will explore energy efficiency in Asia and the Pacific. It will also examine the role of governments, industry, consumers and finance, while topics, such as energy pricing, system integration, affordability and technology innovation will be covered.
At 10.30am-11.30am, Just Transition towards regional net-zero climate-resilient development will examine how climate resilient development can be fair and equitable to all.
