Will COP26 Actually Be A Success?
Image from flickr.com
By Abi Gebbie
The COP26 conference has now been going for two weeks, so how effective has it been overall?
As the conference is coming to an end, decisions have to be made sooner rather than later. If the world continues to go on like this without any action, the next generation will suffer the consequences.
COP26 has been considered a success in certain areas. During the first week we were able to see the passion that not only leaders have but people all over the world have on the big issue of climate change. People showed that they were determined to make a change and they are striving for something to be done urgently in order to protect our planet. Many people from all over the world have been able to come together in order to have their voices be heard, when they maybe wouldn’t have been heard otherwise. This is also allowing developing nations to have a voice.
There has been many different agreements being talked about that seem like they will have a very positive impact on the environment if they end up being carried out the way they are supposed to be. It’s all good and well talking about the things they could do, but it’s a different story when putting those plans into action. Some of the goals that countries have set are very ambitious and it would be amazing if they are successful in carrying these goals out. For example, the US-China agreement seems like an amazing idea considering they are the two biggest polluters however it will only make a difference if action is taken.
Read our article on the US-China agreement for more information:
Unexpected Agreement! The US and China Are Discussing Cutting Carbon Emissions Together
In what ways has COP26 been unsuccessful?
There is this fear of what will happen if COP26 fails, this is because people are worried that goals will not be met.
Whilst the conference is about discussing what can be done in order to prevent climate change and reducing the production of greenhouse gases, the conference itself has produced 102,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. This is very similar to the annual emissions that come from 10,000 households in the UK every single year. This makes it seem like those taking part in the conference do not actually care about the emissions that they release into the environment, we can argue that it’s hypocritical they are trying to prevent global warming whilst actively contributing to the issue. How can we be sure that action will be taken?
Since there hasn’t been a clear draft, things are very uncertain at the moment and we are unsure if change is actually going to happen. If nothing is done now, it’s going to have deadly consequences.
How can I make a change?
There are many different ways that you can make a change, every little contribution you make matters.
You can start by:
- Ensure you are not wasting food – Only buy foods that you need and will actually eat.
- Reducing fossil fuel impact – This can be done by walking or even cycling instead of using a car to go everywhere.
- Respect the the environment that’s around you.
- Alternative energy solutions – This can be done by the use of solar panels and wind turbines.
- Call people out – Hold people accountable for their actions if they are doing something that might put the planet in danger.
There is obviously so much more that can be done but this is a good start. Even things a simple and small as this can really make such a big difference.
Sources
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/stories/climate-action/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59247795.amp
https://www.dw.com/en/cop26-glasgow-climate-change-15-c-anke-herold-lina-yassin-seyi-moejoh-jennifer-eison/a-59798657
