KATHMANDU: The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) has begun in the Scottish city of Glasgow.
The climate summit opened Sunday with appeals for action and prayers, kicking off two weeks of negotiations by almost 200 countries on how to tackle the challenge of intensifying global warming.
This summit is aimed at keeping alive a target of capping global warming at 1.5C above the pre-industrial levels.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about COP26
This year’s COP26 conference in Glasgow will be the most significant climate summit in decades. But what is it exactly, and why does it matter so much? Here are some of the main information to know about it.
What is COP26?
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conducts a global summit on climate change called the Conference of the Parties (COP).
UNFCCC is an international environmental convention to address human interference with the climate system, in part by stabilizing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.
The 1st COP was held in Berlin in 1995 A.D. Ever since then, the COP has been held every year except for the year 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
COP26 is the 26th UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, which will be held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, between October 31 and November 12.
What are the Key Goals of COP26?
Work together to deliver
Secure global net-zero by mid-century( 2050 ), and keep 1.5 degrees within reach
Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats
Mobilize finance
Who will attend COP26?
The United Nations’ annual climate change conference has brought together government representatives multilateral and bilateral agencies, private sector, civil societies, and citizens for nearly three decades in an attempt to prevent climate change. Almost 200 international leaders and 30,000 delegates are expected to attend COP26.
These individuals will participate in the debates, report on progress since the 2015 Paris Agreement, and make new decisions about how to cut greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.
What is Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement on climate change Agreement is an international agreement on the climate change issue. On December 12, 2015, 196 Parties agreed to it at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 21) in Paris, and it took effect on November 4, 2016.
The Paris Agreement creates a worldwide framework for preventing severe climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 degree
Why is COP26 so important?
This year’s COP is the most important climate summit since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. The Paris Agreement requires countries to upgrade their pledges on reducing emissions, which are known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
The countries are now likely to agree on a set of stringent criteria for putting the agreements into effect. At the meeting, countries will also be expected to raise their climate ambitions, building on their current climate pledges, or NDCs. China, Japan, South Korea, France, and the United Kingdom have already established targets for their economies to achieve carbon neutrality, which means emitting less than they can absorb.
Several countries including the USA have made a public statement saying that they will support the net-zero emission target by 2050.
China has stated that it will meet the net-zero target in 2060. Other big economies, such as India, are anticipated to take further steps to shift their emissions growth trajectory toward a clean energy transition.
COP26 will be significant because it will address issues and judgments leftover from COP25 (Madrid). Likewise, it should be noted that the United States of America will return to the bargaining table at COP26, with President Joe Biden taking the lead and taking action to combat climate change by re-joining the Paris Agreement after withdrawing in 2019.
Climate change mitigation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, adaptation to irreversible environmental impacts caused by climate change, and financing to assist developing countries in their efforts to transition away from fossil fuels and become more resilient to climate change impacts will all be discussed at the meeting, making it extremely important.
What is the expectation on Financing Commitment in COP26?
The Paris agreement committed to mobilizing $ 100 billion per year between 2020 and 2025, to support developing countries in cutting emissions and preparing for the impacts of climate change. In COPP 26, parties will work on the future of finance beyond 2025, support for communities sufferings from climate-related “loss and damage”
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