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Spotlight on climate action

Photo: Unsplash/Tobias Rademacher

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. 

16 Nov 2024 12:13

UNEP executive director: circular economy crucial to achieving climate goals

Inger Andersen
UNEP/Florian Fussstetter

The circular economy is crucial to achieving the Paris Agreement goals, UNEP's Executive Director, Inger Andersen said at an event at COP29 yesterday.

"This is because our linear growth model of take, make and waste is the key driver of the whole triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, biodiversity and land loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste," she said.

She highlighted the huge costs of the current development model: "Material extraction and processing contribute up to 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiversity loss is costing the global economy 10 per cent of its output. Pollution-related losses have been estimated at US$4.6 trillion annually."

Solutions are at hand however, as she pointed out the role circularity can play in the move to clean energy technlogies. 

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16 Nov 2024 12:09

Can we fix AI’s climate problem?

Ethernet cables
Image: Unsplash/Jordan Harrison

While AI has lots of climate benefits from its ability to map the destructive dredging of sand and track methane emissions, it is not without its problems. Data centres that house AI servers produce electronic waste, while they are large consumers of water, which is becoming scarce in many places. They rely on critical minerals and rare elements, which are often mined unsustainably. And they use massive amounts of electricity, spurring the emission of planet-warming greenhouse gases.  So, what can be done to fix AI’s environmental problem?

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16 Nov 2024 09:00

UNEP Marine Sand Watch reveals massive extraction in the world’s oceans

Palm trees on a beach
Image: Unsplash/Rowan Heuvel

With today’s focus on technology, it’s worth highlighting how big data – in the form of UNEP’s Marine Sand Watch – is tracking illegal sand dredging. The first-ever global data platform on sand and other sediment extraction in the marine environment finds that the marine dredging industry is digging up 6 billion tons per year, the equivalent of more than 1 million dump trucks per day. This is significantly impacting biodiversity and coastal communities. Read the full story.

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16 Nov 2024 08:00

Technology, science and innovation the focus at COP29 today

People at a conference
Image: UNFCCC

Today is Science, technology, innovation and digitalisation day at COP29 and there will be a host of events focused on how technology and innovation can help countries increase ambition and reduce emissions. 

Following the launch of the Eye on Methane Report 2024, this event will look at the latest methane data and tools from UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) and explore how stakeholders are using these resources to drive mitigation across sectors. This morning also sees a Ministerial Meeting on the circular economy co-hosted by the COP29 Presidency and UNEP, which will showcase examples from countries that have successfully leveraged circular economy to raise climate ambition, including through their NDCs. This event at the UN Azerbaijan-Pavilion will highlight the importance that stakeholders value the Technology Needs Assessment outcomes, as part of their NDCs. 

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15 Nov 2024 18:24

Protests, report launches and some progress: another busy day in Baku

COP29 protestors
UN Climate Change/Habib Samadov

It's been another very eventful day in Baku with report launches, ministerial meetings and protests. One of the more high-profile protests was regarding the influence of the energy industry at COP29, with 1,773 coal, oil, and gas lobbyists granted access to the event, about 1.5 per cent of the total number of visitors. 

Meanwhile, negotiations are continuing on a range of issues from climate finance to Article 6, with progress very slow in some areas. It is hoped that some breakthroughs will be made next week, but a lot of ground needs to be made up before then. 

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15 Nov 2024 17:21

Eye on Methane Report highlights urgent need for action

oil terminal
Pexels/Jakub Pabis

The world now has the tools to slash methane emission, but what is needed now is action. That was the message at the launch of the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO)'s 2024 Eye on Methane report earlier today at COP29. 

Speaking at the launch, UNEP Executive Director, Inger Andersen highlighted the fact that in some cases, stopping methane emissions comes down to simple repairs. "We’re quite literally talking about screwing bolts tighter or replacing filters in some cases," she said.

Methane emissions are responsible for roughly one third of current global warming Through its Methane Alert and Response System, IMEO has issued more than 1,200 notifications about major methane plumes over the last two years.

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15 Nov 2024 16:45

Finance groups call for transformative action to meet climate goals

A global coalition of financial organisations  – including the International Development Finance Club and UNEP Finance Initiative – has released a set of recommendations for the post-2025 climate finance framework.  

These include: A more strategic, collaborative and qualitative use of public finance; addressing climate mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage priorities by substantially increasing financial volumes targeting them; and highlighting the role Public Development Banks can play to help move from transaction-level impacts to more systemic, cross-sectoral, whole-of-society effects. 

 

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15 Nov 2024 16:04

CO2 emissions to reach record high in 2024

 

protestors at COP29
UN Climate Change/Habib Samadov

Total CO2 emissions – including both fossil and land-use emissions – will hit a new record high in 2024, reflecting a growth of 2 per cent over 2023 levels. 

The 19th edition of the Global Carbon Budget Report published today, also revealed that Global emissions from coal increased by 0.2 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023, while oil emissions increased 0.9 per cent and gas emissions increased by 2.4 per cent. Emissions from cement and other sources fell by 2.8 per cent.  

As highlighted by UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2024, emissions cuts of 42 per cent are needed by 2030 and 57 per cent by 2035 to get on track for 1.5°C.  

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15 Nov 2024 15:39

Buildings and Cooling Pavilion aims to drive climate action

City skyline
Pexels/Kaique Rocha

In 2022, buildings were responsible for 34 per cent of global energy demand and 37 per cent of energy and process-related CO2 emissions. With half of the buildings that will exist by 2050 not yet been built, it’s crucial that the building sector decarbonizes.  

During COP29, the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction is collaborating with the UNEP Cool Coalition to host a joint Buildings and Cooling Pavilion. This Pavilion aims to bring together the entire built environment value chain and the cooling community, creating a unified voice to drive building decarbonisation and resilience, while addressing the challenges of extreme heat and sustainable cooling. 

All the pavilion’s events will be streamed live on YouTube. 

Last updated at
15 Nov 2024 14:29

Event showcases transformative role of technology in climate action

Technology is a driver of climate action – that was the message from an UNFCCC Technology Mechanism event held yesterday at COP29.  

Five climate technology experts from Costa Rica, Laos, the Republic of Korea, the Solomon Islands, highlighted how technology is helping drive climate action. These projects ranged from Costa Rica’s adoption of a national circular economy strategy to mobilizing more than $10 million in funding for Laos, piloting the first e-bus fleet in the Solomon Islands, modernizing district heating systems in Serbia with pro-bono support from the Republic of Korea, and transforming national climate technology action plans into concrete investments. 

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Related Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1

Goal 1: No Poverty
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Goal 7

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
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Goal 11

Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
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Goal 12

Goal 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production
+

Goal 13

Goal 13: Climate Action
+

Goal 14

Goal 14: Life Below Water
+

Goal 15

Goal 15: Life on Land
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