What is COP?
Every year, the Climate COP, a global climate summit, runs for approximately two weeks in November/December. It is hosted by a single nation and attended by climate negotiators, environment ministers, and heads of state from across the globe. The goal of the Climate COP (there are also separate COPs on Nature and desertification) is to address the climate crisis facing our planet. Much of the preparation and pre-negotiations take place in the preceding months. This year, COP will be hosted in Azerbaijan. It is called COP29.
COP Highs
We are now in the 29th year of climate COPs (COP29 this year). Key moments include:
- COP3, held in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997. The Kyoto Protocol was born, outlining emissions reduction requirements for high-emitting wealthy nations (defined as Annex I nations).
- COP21, held in Paris in 2015. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C, and limit greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. Agreement was also reached that rich countries should provide ‘climate finance’ to support poorer countries.
- COP26, held in Glasgow, Scotland: finalised the rulebook to implement actions within the Paris Agreement.
- COP28, held in the UAE: UAE Consensus marks the first time reducing fossil fuels is explicitly agreed upon.
What are the Key Focuses of COP29 This Year?
The key priorities for this year’s COP can be described as the 3 Cs. Cash, Cutting emissions and Coping with climate change.
Cash
In 2009, it was pledged that $100 billion would be paid annually by rich nations by 2020. This was then committed to in Paris in 2015. Notwithstanding the fact that in most years this amount has not been paid in full and there have been breakdowns in trust among global north and global south nations on ‘who pays,’ this agreement on $100 billion per annum is due to be updated in 2025. As a result, a key focus at COP29 this year will be financing, which is split into various areas including cutting emissions and coping with climate change.
Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions
To keep temperature rise from creeping over the limit of 1.5°C, which scientists urge us to stay below, we need to halve emissions this decade. Despite concerted attempts from many amazing people across the world, emissions are still rising.
All countries that are signatories to the Paris Agreement committed to submitting plans to reduce their emissions every five years. The next submission cycle is fast approaching in 2025. The purpose is to increase national ambitions for 2030 and beyond, as current targets do not cut sufficiently in line with scientific needs.
Clear and simple as a concept, it is highly complex to deliver due to conflicting priorities across the world. The focus will be on ensuring countries increase their reduction ambitions.
Coping with Climate Change
Climate change has driven extreme weather events across the globe this year—from floods in the UAE, Brazil, Kenya, Europe, and the USA; tornadoes in China; heatwaves across Asia, India, Africa, even Antarctica; wildfires in Canada; and ongoing temperature records being broken globally.
At COP28 in the UAE, increased focus on our ability globally to cope with floods, heatwaves, fires, and extreme storm damage caused by climate change was prioritised. With nearly half of the world’s population vulnerable to climate change, the goal this year is to set targets and start mobilising finance and technology to help us cope better with the extremities that climate change guarantees. Reverting to the role of finance at this year’s COP, one of the key questions is where will the money come from? There is significant focus on public and private finance and recognition that much of the money will need to come from the private sector. Nothing has been agreed upon yet, but there are ideas around an increased role for international development banks and potential for international taxes.
How Do We All Fit into This?
Collectively, in democracies, we elect governments who will sit at negotiating tables to agree on how we address climate change. The USA provides an excellent example of how this can play out differently depending on leadership. When Donald Trump became president in 2017, he withdrew the USA from the all important Paris Agreement that drives much of international climate action. When Joe Biden became president in 2021, one of his first acts was to sign the USA back into the Paris Agreement. As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, participation from the USA is crucial to solving the crisis. You can read more about our role as individuals here.
Our Actions
One of the key outcomes at COP28 in the UAE was a commitment to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030; double global energy efficiency by 2030; and move away from fossil fuels.
Combining these commitments with insights from climate scientists who report regularly on climate change, our role becomes clearer. Climate scientists (through the IPCC) have stated that 40-70% of all emissions reductions will come from people (or social transformation as described here). So what can we do tangibly to support these goals?
- Change to renewable energy to support the goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030.
- Be more energy efficient to support doubling energy efficiency by 2030.
- Move away from fossil fuels wherever possible—e.g., if purchasing a new car, go electric.
COPs are always peppered with highs and lows, celebrations and frustrations. The system has many imperfections but is crucial for delivering results at present. Much of the success in addressing climate change takes place outside the COP process; however, COPs witness a rare moment of global collaboration. Leaders come together in an attempt to solve one of our major problems collectively—and that is to be applauded.