Lessons from COP28: How to save what we can

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Last Updated13/12/2023

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently released its 14th Emissions Gap Report (2023).
The report detailed how much humanity needs to cut down its carbon emissions to limit the global temperature rise.

The emission gap measures the disparity between planned emission levels and the necessary levels to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2100.
The report underscores the urgency of global efforts to address climate change.
The report focuses on the global shortfall in efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C compared to the pre-industrial period.

The average temperature of Earth has been on the rise.
There is a huge amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) being generated from energy-related activities, industry, agriculture and land use and waste.
GHGs, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide, trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to temperature rise and associated climate impacts.
Compared to pre-industrial temperature, Earth’s mean temperature has already increased by about 1 °C .
This has caused unprecedented rains, floods, increased droughts, severe storms, cyclones, etc.

Fossil fuel burning for power generation, transport, manufacturing, construction, buildings, and industry contributes significantly to CO2 emissions.
Most of the CO2 generated is through the burning of fossil fuels for power generation and process heat (43 percent)

As far as power generation is concerned, to move away from fossil fuels, we need to adopt renewable generation, mainly solar and wind.
For the transport sector, one needs to move to electric and also hydrogen-based vehicles.
Replacing fossil fuels in the industrial sector is the most difficult task.
- Since renewable energy cannot supply high-intensity heat required for industries like iron and steel and aluminium.

Moving away from fossil fuels is a capital-intensive process and developing countries are not in a position to fund such activities.
Hence, there is a need for the developed world to transfer not only finance but also technology.
Developed countries, responsible for significant emissions historically, should provide financial aid and technology transfer, aligning with the "polluter pays" principle.
Countries like the US have a cumulative CO2 emission which is 25 percent of the global emissions.
The corresponding figures for the EU and China are 22 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively.
As compared to this, India’s cumulative emissions are only 3 percent.
In per capita terms also, it is only 1.8 tons, where the world average is 4.7 tons.

Since the past 15 years or so, there has been talk of transferring resources to the tune of $100 billion per year to developing countries.
However, it is only about 15 percent compared to what is required to fund adequate mitigation and adaptation activities.
But this is not really happening.
The loss and damage fund, addressing climate-related losses, has seen progress, but decisions on the global stock take report are pending.
COP28 discussions involve critical issues, including the global stock take report, climate equity and the phase-out of fossil fuels.

The latest UNEP report suggests a projected temperature rise between 2.5 to 2.9 °C by 2100 based on current NDCs.
Urgent action is needed to bridge the emissions gap and align efforts with the goal of limiting temperature rise.