What can I do to help save our world?

(written November 14, 2021)

COP 26 finished last Friday. I am struggling to understand what was achieved. I have looked at some of the draft papers but am no clearer. The Secretary General’s statement issued on the Saturday summarised the results. (https://unfccc.int/news/secretary-general-s-statement-on-the-conclusion-of-the-un-climate-change-conference-cop26)

“…we must accelerate action to keep the 1.5 degree goal alive.

• Our fragile planet is hanging by a thread.  
• We are still knocking on the door of climate catastrophe.  
• It is time to go into emergency mode — or our chance of reaching net zero will itself be zero.
• I reaffirm my conviction that we must end fossil fuels subsidies.  
• Phase out coal.  
• Put a price on carbon. 
• Build resilience of vulnerable communities against the here and now impacts of climate change.  
• And make good on the $100 billion climate finance commitment to support developing countries. 
• We did not achieve these goals at this conference. But we have some building blocks for progress.”

141 nations did agree to stop deforestation by 2030. However, the last agreement of this sort did not slow down deforestation – deforestation increased.  Why 2030? It needs to be much sooner.

The challenge is huge, not only to reduce carbon emissions by today’s users, but to bring poorer peoples everywhere into the modern world if they so desire. Hundreds of millions of people around the world do not have electricity. Urbanisation has reached a pace where half of the population of many the world’s biggest cities are demanding more access to power. When not provided in adequate amounts, more and more electricity is and will be stolen. What right do we have as richer nations to demand others should remain in poverty? Energy is wealth.