UN Climate Summit Ends With A New Pledge To Combat Climate Change
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On November 13, 2021, diplomats from nearly 200 countries vowed to step up their efforts to slow global warming. The Glasgow Climate Pact, signed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, was not as far-reaching as many had hoped. However, there was a clear consensus about the urgency to take action to prevent a catastrophic rise in global temperatures.
The agreement’s highlights include a pledge to reduce global methane emissions by 30 percent in the next ten years. More than 100 world leaders— from countries representing over 90 percent of the world’s forests — also agreed to cease and reverse deforestation by 2030.
For the first time at a COP conference, 40 countries made an explicit promise to cut down the use of coal. However, environmentalists were disappointed by India and China’s demand that the agreement call for “phasing down,” rather than “phasing out,” its use. The fossil fuel is responsible for 40 percent of the world's annual carbon dioxide emissions.
The US and the European Union promised to reach net-zero emissions — which means achieving a balance so no greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere — by 2050. China and India vowed to do the same by 2060 and 2070, respectively. The Glasgow Climate Pact also requires countries to announce more substantial pledges and outline concrete plans on how to achieve the goals at the climate change conference in Egypt in 2022.
Experts at the Climate Action Tracker estimate that if all countries keep their pledges under the new agreement, we could possibly limit global warming to 1.8 degrees Celsius by 2100. Though higher than the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit scientists are advocating, it is better than the 2.7 degrees Celsius of warming the planet is currently heading towards.
“Countries still don’t seem to understand that we’re in an emergency situation and we need to cut emissions much faster this decade, or else any hope of staying at 1.5 degrees will be lost,” said Niklas Höhne, a German climatologist and founding partner of NewClimate Institute, which created the Climate Action Tracker.
Resources: Washingtonpost.com, NPR.com, news.un.org,
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113 Comments
minecraft2345almost 3 yearsglobal warming needs to stop now.
mrcleveralmost 3 years#stopgloblewarming
wordqueenalmost 3 yearsIt warmed me up to see that we are taking action, but I hope they realize that we might reach a point of no return. Then, we can't even stop it. They need to put their time and resources to this. It has to happen soon. But I'm so happy they've even taken action!
rihanna12345almost 3 yearsOur leader leaders better help the people or the people will perish!
lilypadsalmost 3 yearsI'm very sad to see this. Are leaders better be help the people or the people will perish. This is my idea all of the bad things that are happening is mother natures work. Because we are still not helping clean ocean s or any of that so 19 and the earth warming. I hope the leaders are putting all they got into this problem. # save the planet # help mother nature #save humanity
legogamez28almost 3 years#LetsStopClimateChange #TheresNoPlanetA
egirl_ebodyalmost 3 yearsAgreed!! #savetheearth!!
nuvebuny-163227991378almost 3 yearsIts cool that they are trying to stop the climate change.- minecraft2345almost 3 yearsyeah its cool. its about time things changed
- egirl_ebodyalmost 3 yearsIkr!! Its about time too!
kopenskie09almost 3 yearsI hope this works, I have been quite worried about the future with all the rising temperatures and deforestation. Good luck yall.- egirl_ebodyalmost 3 yearsI think the biggest concern for scientists is the Glaciers in the water separating or something like that. I'm failing 8th grade science so couldn't tell ya-
votealmost 3 yearsYeah, melting glaciers are causing sea levels to rise and worsening things like hurricanes, I should know A category 4 or 5 hurricane is an annual experience for me, that never used to happen!
blueberryyogurtalmost 3 yearsFinally our world leaders are trying harder to stop Climate Change! If we don't do something now, our one and only Earth will be gone so even if it means less wooden or plastic products to buy, so be it. I hope COP26 actually helps make a change and stops Climate Change. (By the way, if you are interested with nature and the environment, you should watch "Our Planet", a documentary by David Attenborough). #LetsStopClimateChange, #TheresNoPlanetA- egirl_ebodyalmost 3 yearsIf the world was gonna end, it would end ranging from 2027-2050. That's a long range but if they don't figure out all this global warning stuff then it will happen. Save your earth!!!
redrobinalmost 3 yearsGo Climate Change!!!!- egirl_ebodyalmost 3 yearsClimate change isn't good😐😐
- greek5ghostalmost 3 yearsomg lol
