Climate leaders’ Summit 2021: An effort for bull’s eye to hit
THE globe has been facing severe climate crisis which has been worsening with the passage of everyday especially since the last decade and is witnessed by raise in overall environmental temperature about 1.5 degrees Celsius with the threatening consequences for the future of the planet and its inmates.
In an effort to address the scenario promptly the Leaders’ Summit on Climate is being hosted by the newly elected American President Biden and it will be held from April 22 to 23 this year virtually due to ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Forty world leaders from different regions of the world have been invited which contribute about 80% of emissions and GDP hence playing vital role in climate change.
It is to recall that President Biden touched climate issue on the first day in office and avowed to return the United States to the Paris Agreement which was left by his predecessor Donald Trump.
Therefore he announced that he would soon convene a leader’s summit soon to stimulate efforts by the major economies to look into the climate crisis.
The Leaders’ Summit on Climate will emphasize the resolution and the economic assistances of synchronized climate actions.
It will be paving the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in upcoming November.
In recent years, scientists have stressed the need to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to ward off the worst impact of climate change.
The main aim of both the Leaders’ Summit and COP26 will be to harmonize efforts to keep it within reach.
The Summit will also illuminate dimensions as how to enhance climate ambition will create good paying jobs, advance innovative technologies assisting vulnerable countries adapt to climate impacts.
At present there are 17 countries which are responsible for approximately 80 percent of global emissions and global GDP as mentioned earlier.
The participatory countries are those which are demonstrating strong climate leadership and those which are exclusively vulnerable to climate impacts and its consequences.
A minor division of civil society leaders and business community will also participate in the Summit.
The Summit will focus on the themes like orchestrating efforts to reduce emissions by the world’s major economies during this critical decade to keep a limit to global warming of 1.5 degree Celsius within reach.
It would encourage non-state and sub-national actors which are committed to green recovery and fair vision for limiting warming to 1.5 degree Celsius, and are working narrowly with national governments to advance drive and resilience.
It would also direct public and private sector finance mobilization to drive the net zero transition and to assist vulnerable countries handle climate impacts.
The economic benefits of climate action, with strong emphasis on job, and the importance of ensuring all communities and workers benefit from the transition to a newer clean energy economy.
It would prompt transformational technologies that can help reduce emissions and adapt to climate change, while also creating enormous new economic chances and structuring the industries of the future.
Importantly, it would offer openings to reinforce capacity to protect lives and incomes from the impact of climate change, addressing the global security tasks modelled by climate change and the impact on readiness, and addressing the role of nature-based solutions in achieving net zero by 2050 goals.
Regrettably, Pakistan, the country with climate crisis at the 5th global ranking and important geopolitical strategic partner of USA has not been invited intentionally or unintentionally, yet to be determined, despite Pakistan has taken ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ initiative.
The neighbours like India and Bangladesh have been invited which reflects not only the priority and preference of Biden’s Administration towards Pakistan but it would create imbalance of power in the region indirectly.
Needless to mention, Pakistan is a reliable ally of USA in the war against terrorism suffering huge human and economic losses but unluckily it is being disregarded repeatedly and continuously. Indeed it is a very vibrant message for Pakistan from Uncle Sam.
It is interesting to note that in order to bring together leaders of major economies and to augment the importance of the Leaders’ Climate Summit the date 22 April has been fixed deliberately which is not only international ‘Earth Day’ but reminds the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Paris Accord on climate change for signature.
Historically, the first preparatory meeting of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) focusing climate change took place back in April 2009, which continued periodically till September 2016.
Unfortunately US Trump Administration withdrawn from the Paris Agreement but Canada, China and the European Union continued their efforts and has co-hosted four ministerial gatherings on Climate Action from 2017 to 2020.
The US has invited top influential of the world including President Xi Jinxing of China and President Vladimir Putin of Russia; both have a perplexing relationship with Mr Biden along with USA re-entry into the Paris Accord on climate portraying no compromise on climate.
This leaders’ Summit is an opportunity for global leaders to outline as to how they would contribute to stronger climate ambition for future generations.
Amazingly, the Man has been exploring the new Planets and galaxies as Mars have been captured in the recent past, a great breakthrough for the mankind but ignoring the burning earth.
Now the time has reached to take the remedial and corrective steps by individual counties at all levels before the Earth is over-exhausted.
— The writer is DEO Rescue 1122 Bahawalpur.
