Leaders from all around the globe gather at Glasgow in the UK to discuss climate change at COP26. COP26 is the United Nations climate change conference held from Oct 31 to Nov 12 this year, where various countries work together to address climate change and make progress. The summit aims to reach an agreement between countries, so they can reach the goals laid out by the UN and the Paris agreement, which were “to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
Our planet is in a state where immediate action must be taken. Some countries like Norway and New Zealand are on track to cut their carbon emissions to begin reaching the goals of the Paris agreement. Many other countries had lofty goals since the European Union aimed to cut emissions by 78% by 2035. The United States pulled out three years into the agreement under the administration of former President Donald Trump; however, it rejoined under President Joe Biden. Currently, the president is aiming to cut emissions by 50% by 2030. This is a high goal as America is currently only second to China in terms of carbon emission rates. Experts say we are well on course for where we should be, and it is projected that even if we meet our goals, the United States will still have one of the highest rates of carbon emissions. So what must we do now?
People can start making minor changes in their life to help solve other aspects of the climate crisis such as remembering to conserve electricity and water, developing a more plant-oriented diet, and remembering to recycle more often. The main goals of the COP26 summit are all directed to helping cut emissions to meet the goal put forth in the Paris agreement. This is a decisive time for countries to start making major changes if they want to meet their goals and preserve the Earth. Scientists and experts say that it is still an option to keep global warming within 1.5 C. This means that it is a matter of politics and not feasibility, and politicians must take action on this if they wish to salvage our futures.
Organizers are hoping that through this meeting they can secure global cooperation and preparations, put together finances to help countries meet their goals, and finally collaborate on a global level to achieve their goals. Some do say that these goals will be difficult to achieve, but there is still a small window where leaders can begin to take action before our future takes a permanent turn for the worse.
