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.
This live feed will keep you up-to-date with all the latest news from the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan.
15 Nov
2023
12:47
New report highlights countries failing to tackle climate crisis
Unsplash/Ellie Meh
A report released yesterday by UN Climate Change revealed the world is off-track to tackle the climate crisis.
The NDC Synthesis Report – NDCs or Nationally Determined Climate Plans are each country’s plan to reduce emissions – showed that there is a large gap between what countries are doing and what needs to happen to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
UN Climate Change analyzed the NDCs of 195 Parties to the Paris Agreement, including 20 new or updated NDCs submitted up until 25 September 2023.
Under current national plans, global greenhouse gas emissions are set to increase 9 per cent by 2030, compared to 2010 levels.
Yet the science is clear: emissions must fall by 45 per cent by the end of this decade compared to 2010 levels to meet the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.
United Nations Executive Secretary, António Guterres was unequivocal in what needs to happen. “Governments must come together to line up the necessary finance, support and partnerships to increase ambition in their national climate plans and swiftly put those plans into action. And developed countries must rebuild trust by delivering on their finance commitments,” he said. “COP28 must be the place to urgently close the climate ambition gap.”
15 Nov
2023
08:01
Happening now: Advancing Peatland Restoration: Unlocking Private Investment for a Sustainable Future
Photo: CIFOR/Rifky
Where: Room Tanjung Puteri 303, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Peatlands are critical ecosystems for carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation. However, their conservation and restoration often require innovative approaches and collaborative efforts including peatland conservation and restoration financing from the private sector to enable climate action at scale.
Exploring innovative financing models is vital, benefiting both the environment and livelihoods of communities residing in and around peatland areas.
• substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius while pursuing efforts to limit the increase even further to 1.5 degrees;
• review countries’ commitments every five years;
• provide financing to developing countries to mitigate climate change, strengthen resilience and enhance abilities to adapt to climate impacts.
The first Global Stocktake will conclude at COP28, where countries decide how they respond to the findings. Initial findings, reviewed in October, show the world is significantly behind in reaching the goals set in Paris – particularly limiting global warming – and urgent action is needed to course correct.
This was reflected in the State of Climate Action 2023 report, released earlier today, which revealed that the world is behind in almost every policy designed to avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis.
Wednesday is another busy day at Asia-Pacific Climate Week, with a number of UNEP events taking place.
At 11.45am local time, this event will focus on how the mining sector can play a positive role in promoting sustainable development and structural economic transformation. This is vital when it comes to critical energy transition minerals – such as lithium, copper and cobalt – which are needed to build renewable technologies.
At 2pm, this session will focus on sustainable urban transport policy solutions and highlight concrete examples, including accelerating e-mobility in public transport, two- and three-wheelers and other non-motorized transport solutions.
At 2pm, this event will highlight the transformative potential of the private sector in driving sustainable growth through the Blue Economy, highlighting the role of the Regional Seas Programme as an avenue for dialogue and regional exchange.
At 2.15pm, this event will focus on three sectors: climate-resilient buildings, green infrastructure (such as low carbon steel and cement) and low carbon mobility. It aims to highlight the importance of international cooperation and the need to integrate the perspectives of non-party stakeholders in climate action.
14 Nov
2023
10:20
8 ways Asia is using nature to adapt to the climate crisis
UNEP
The Asia-Pacific region is no stranger to climate change.
In just the past few months, it has endured droughts, record-breaking heat, and multiple super typhoons, a bout of extreme weather that experts say will only get worse as the planet warms.
This week, leaders are in Malaysia for Asia Pacific Climate Week, an event designed to explore solutions to the most pressing climatic issues facing the region.
Delegates are expected to discuss what are known as nature-based solutions, which focus on leveraging nature – and the services it provides – to build resilience to the climate crisis. Those types of solutions, which can be less expensive and more effective than built infrastructure, are expected to be crucial in the years to come.
Here is a closer look at eight such projects across Asia-Pacific.
13 Nov
2023
14:22
Asia-Pacific Climate Week kicks off with host of climate action events
Unsplash/Greg Chee
Leaders from governments, businesses, international organizations and civil society are gathering in Malaysia this week to explore ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the climate crisis.
Asia-Pacific Climate Week is the final of the four annual regional climate weeks and the focus will be on building momentum ahead of COP28, which begins in less than three weeks.
Each of the four climate weeks focus on four areas in order to provide region-specific contributions to the global stocktake, where countries and other stakeholders will take stock of where progress is being made towards the Paris Agreement goals, and where it is not.
These 'systems-based tracks' are: energy systems and industry; cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport; land, ocean, food and water' and societies, health, livelihoods, and economies.
Humanity produces around430 million tonnes of plastic every year, two-thirds of which quickly becomes waste. Much of that ends up polluting land, sea and air while increasingly working its way into the human food chain.
Plastic pollution also has a huge impact on the climate. In 2019, plastic generated 1.8 billion metric tonnes of GHGs – 3.4 per cent of the global total – with 90 per cent of those emissions coming from plastic production and the conversion of fossil fuels.
So, what can we expect from the latest round of talks? Read the full story here.
10 Nov
2023
12:04
How a salt-loving tree is helping protect Mozambique from climate change
UNEP/Artan Jama
Nature-based solutions will be a key topic of discussion during COP28, with the natural world – both on land and in the water – essential for limiting carbon emissions and enhancing the resilience of ecosystems.
One project, 200km north of Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, sees locals replanting mangrove trees, which thrive in the salty waters of coastlines and estuaries.
The project – led by UNEP and funded by the Global Environment Facility – is aiming to revive the district’s once-thriving mangrove forests, many of which have fallen victim to logging and cyclones.
The project’s backers are hoping the mangroves will create a buffer around local communities, shielding them from storm surges and other extreme weather linked to the climate crisis.
Momentum builds ahead of Asia Pacific Climate Week
Unsplash/Afifi Zulkifle
Asia Pacific Climate Week (APCW) starts next week from 13-17 November in Johor Bahru, hosted by the government of Malaysia.
APCW is an annual event that brings together leaders from governments, businesses, international organizations and civil society to explore ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while adapting to the mounting fallout from the climate crisis.
APCW 2023 is organized into four areas, each focusing on specific themes:
Energy systems and industry;
Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport;
Land, ocean, food and water;
Societies, health, livelihoods, and economies
You can find a detailed list of the week's events here.
08 Nov
2023
14:08
Governments plan to produce double the fossil fuels in 2030 than the 1.5C limit allows
Unsplash/Wim vant Einde
Despite government pledges to reduce fossil fuel emissions, the 2023 Production Gap Report finds that governments plan to produce around 110 per cent more fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C, and 69 per cent more than would be consistent with 2°C.
“Governments are literally doubling down on fossil fuel production; that spells double trouble for people and planet,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “We cannot address climate catastrophe without tackling its root cause: fossil fuel dependence.
The Production Gap Report – first launched in 2019 – tracks the discrepancy between governments’ planned fossil fuel production and global production levels consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C or 2°C.
