So much is said about the yellow vests in Paris, how little about #ClaimTheClimate. The demonstration that brought 65 thousand people to the streets of Brussels on 2.12.18 ahead of #COP24.
COP24, climate change, UN conference in Katowice 2-14.12.18
COP24, the 24th ‘
World Climate Conference
‘ is held in Katowice, Poland, on 2-14.12.18. As they do every year, the 196 member states of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change must make decisions on how to achieve the goals of combating global warming.
It discusses ‘
global warming
‘ e ‘
Climate action’
, global warming and Climate Action. Sustainable Development Goal no. 13, among the 17 ‘Sustainable Development Goals‘ (SDGs) set in 2015 for 2030 by the UN General Assembly. (1)
‘
If we don’t take #ClimateAction
, the collapse of our civilizations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon
.’ (Sir David Attenborough, historian, 3.12.18. The video)
The goal is to contain the planet’s temperature rise to within 1.5°C, compared to the pre-industrial age. For as it is, the scenario will be disastrous enough, in terms of desertification and extreme weather events. To avoid the global catastrophe that is otherwise looming–based on the updated scientific projections of IPCC(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, UN)–a paradigm shift on atmospheric emissions is therefore necessary. (2)
‘
We are clearly the last generation
able to change the course of climate change, but we are also the first generation to suffer its consequences‘ (Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank CEO, 3.12.18).
The World Bank has announced climate finance in the amount of US$ 100 billion/year, over the period 2021-2025. To divide equally, for the first time divided, between projects aimed at reducing emissions and those protecting people from floods, storms and droughts. (3)
COP 24. Energy and agriculture, the focal sectors
Energy production is undoubtedly the first source of concern. Emerging economies dictate the path of progress, to the point that new wind and solar power plants in 2017 surpassed combustion-based ones for the first time. But new ‘zero carbon‘ energy production-increased by 20 percent (2017 over 2016) in developing countries-decreased by 0.4 percent in ‘developed’ countries. (4)
Agriculture is the second area where drastic action is essential. Scientific studies and international reports show that the current model of intensive agriculture – based on a few monocultures and too many agrotoxics – Erodes natural resources and biodiversity. In addition to poisoning populations
and suffocating the planet with greenhouse gas emissions.
.
COP 24, a protest peaceful. Here’s why
The Paris Agreement on Climate Change (2015), three years after it was signed, has yet to have any concrete effect on the policies of EU member states. Although the EU has pledged to drastically reduce carbon emissions, -40% by 2030.
Deforestation
are themselves the subject of only paper commitments
By the European institutions. Which recently granted a 10-year extension, until 2030, to the use of
palm oil
as biodiesel
.
The toxic treaties which the Juncker Commission hastens to conclude then completely overlook or environmental disasters carried out by its promised partners. Suffice it to mentionIndonesia
and
Brazil, global champions of deforestation in the service of oil palm and soybean.
The protest is ecological and therefore peaceful, since burning dumpsters produces harmful emissions and fumes, smashing cars and windows requires new matter on a planet that has already exhausted its resources. But it will be merciless when citizens bring politicians and public administrators into the courtrooms to answer for their inaction. Most importantly, when consumAtors become aware of the power of their purchasing choices to compel suppliers of goods and services to make sustainable choices that respect the planet and its inhabitants.
The protest against palm oil
– in Italy
, as in Europe
, it was a good dress rehearsal. The time has come to take up credit cards instead of molotov cocktails to force change.
Égalité!
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) There has already been a brief analysis of SDGs no. 1 e 2, ‘End Poverty‘ e ‘Zero Hunger‘, on https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/idee/fame-e-denutrizione-il-mondo-alla-rovescia e https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/stop-alla-fame-in-europa-iniziativa-popolare Of the no. 12, ‘
Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns
‘, at
https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/plastica-monouso-stop-da-strasburgo
. And of the scenario described by the UN in its report ‘The World in 2050‘ (TWI2050)
(2) See ‘Climate Change’ Report, IPCC, October 2018.
(3) Something useful hopefully also for farmers and those 3.4 billion individuals living in rural areas on which 70 percent of global food production still depends (see the article
https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/diritti-dei-contadini-dichiarazione-onu
)
(4) Source. Bloomberg NEF (BNEF), Climate Scope 2018. The pinnacle is Poland, which is hosting the ‘climate change’ summit and gets 80 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power plants
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
