COP28 REFLECTIONS
As Hamburg was being blanketed by an unusually early — and increasingly rare — snowfall , I was heading to the Dubai desert for COP28 .
Leaving Hamburg ´ s winter wonderland behind was sad , because I knew it was something special : According to a report by NDR , while Hamburgers in 1960 could look forward to seventy cozy , snowy days , today the Hansestadt is more likely to have snowflakes only forty days per year .
COP28 discussions were meant to agree to further actions that will keep the Earth on a pathway to restrict average global temperatures to 1.5 ° C over preindustrial averages . This was agreed at the Paris COP in 2015 and has been a guiding principle ever since .
Rockstar climate science celebrities like Johan Rockström from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research talk about the nine planetary boundaries which must be respected for Earth ´ s ecosystem to function . In 2023 , six of the nine boundaries were transgressed . Further , 2023 was the hottest year on record . According to the EU ´ s Copernicus Programme calculations , over thirty percent of the days in 2023 were actually over the 1.5 ° C average . China , India , and Phoenix , Arizona — with a record shattering thirty-one consecutive days over 43 ° C — are just a few examples of where the heat had serious effects for the populations . Add to that water scarcity , wildfires , extreme storms , and melting glaciers , and it seemed like the conditions were perfect for concerted , committed , and ambitious climate action in this year ´ s COP agreement .
by Lena Dent
PHOTO BY MARKUS SPISKE ON UNSPLASH
However , that wasn ´ t the case .
As part of my work for an NGO , I focus on increasing access to , funding for , and advocating for renewable energy — especially in less developed and climate vulnerable communities — and on furthering partnerships and policies that will ensure a just transition to a zero-emissions future . That work will be most successful if the global community agrees to more rapid , measurable , and binding policies that address climate change and focus on a post-fossil fuel economy .
Every day we followed the negotiations , reading the tea leaves about what the language of the agreement would be at the end of the deliberations . I attended official negotiation sessions that were available to observer organizations such as mine . I talked to government negotiators to understand what the areas of agreement were — and where the fault lines were emerging . I witnessed Small Island Developing States making moving , emotional statements about what climate change means for their futures . I met many passionate , solutions-oriented , and optimistic professionals , who are all committed to making the future better .
In the end , despite knowing the warning signs , experiencing the heatwaves , and understanding what the science says , it wasn ´ t enough for a stronger agreement or clearer commitment to action . Although this COP agreement does mention “ fossil fuels ” for the first time and clearly states a global target to triple renewable energy , it does not have enough teeth or targets to drive the progress that we need .
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