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Youth Take Centre Stage at COP26

The day was co-chaired by YOUNGO, the Official Children’s and Youth constituency of the UNFCCC which opened with a session called Unifying for Change: Global Youth voice at COP26, reports Asian Lite News

Young climate leaders came together in Glasgow on Friday with negotiators, officials and ministers from across the world, to make their voices heard and demand the action needed to prevent catastrophic climate change in their lifetimes.

Events across COP26 focused on harnessing the expertise of young people and putting their views directly to the negotiators and officials working to agree global action on climate change.

The day was co-chaired by YOUNGO, the Official Children’s and Youth constituency of the UNFCCC which opened with a session called Unifying for Change: Global Youth voice at COP26.

https://twitter.com/stuart_gibson/status/1456623954135822338

YOUNGO also presented the COY16 Global Youth Position statement, representing the views of over 40,000 young climate leaders from across the world. The statement presented their priorities directly to ministers, including action on climate finance, mobility and transportation, through to wildlife protection conservation.

COP26 President Alok Sharma said: “Wherever I have been in the world, I have been struck by the passion and the commitment of young people to climate action. The voices of young people must be heard and reflected in these negotiations here at COP. The actions and scrutiny of young people are key to us keeping 1.5 alive and creating a net-zero future.

“I am also aware of the fear and anxiety many of them feel about the future of the planet, including my own children. That is why we must act on the COY16 Global Youth Position Statement from COY16 and the manifesto from the Milan Youth4Climate Summit.”

COP26

YOUNGO Global Focal Points, Heeta Lakhani and Marie-Claire Graf, said: “YOUNGO has been working closely with the UK. Presidency and the UNFCCC Secretariat to co-design Youth and Public Empowerment Day. We successfully profiled global youth voices through the COY16 Global Youth Statement, and brought together four generations to share best practice examples of achieving climate justice collectively.”

The UK also announced its draft Sustainability and Climate Change strategy to equip and empower young people with the skills they need to drive the future of climate action.

This includes the introduction of a Primary Science Model Curriculum, to include an emphasis on nature and the recognition of species, supporting the youngest pupils to develop conservation skills.

Education ministers from around the world also pledged to do the same with nations such as South Korea, Albania, and Sierra Leone pledging to put climate change at the heart of their curriculum.

The UK and Italy, in partnership with UNESCO, Youth4Climate and Mock COP co-ordinated new global action to equip future generations with the knowledge and skills to create a net-zero world.

As Education Ministers and young people gathered together, over 23 countries put forward impressive national climate education pledges, ranging from decarbonising the school sector to developing school resources.

The event also unveiled a new statement titled ‘Learn for our planet: Act for the climate’ which committed countries to revisit progress made on their pledges in advance of COP27.

The UK also announced a new 85,000 pound research grant to support the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre to produce better information on the education needs of refugee children and enable a more effective international response.

Thunberg calls COP26 a ‘PR campaign’

Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg on Thursday (local time) called the COP26 climate summit a “greenwash campaign, a PR campaign”.
Speaking on the sidelines of the summit meeting, Thunberg said the event was “sort of turning into a greenwash campaign, a PR campaign,” for business leaders and politicians, reported The New York Times (NYT).

She said that the summit has become a venue for world leaders and business executives to pretend they are taking action on climate change without following through and termed the United Nations climate conference in Scotland as a ‘failure’.

Greta Thunberg (Image: Twitter@GretaThunberg)

“Since we are so far from what actually we needed, I think what would be considered a success would be if people realize what a failure this COP is,” Thunberg said.

Thunberg and other activists also spoke about the critical role that young women have played in pressuring world leaders to take action on climate change, reported NYT.

At panel events on Thursday at The New York Times Climate Hub in Glasgow, Thunberg and other young female activists, including Vanessa Nakate and Malala Yousafzai, also spoke about the critical role that young women have played in rallying protesters and pressuring world leaders to take action.

“It is the young people, especially young women who are the voices of the climate movement, and that gives hope to so many people,” Yousafzai said.
Nakate, a 24-year-old climate activist from Uganda and founder of the Africa-based Rise Up Movement, said at the panel discussion that the pledge by leaders of the 20 largest economies to “pursue efforts” to keep the average global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius did not go far enough.

She said that 1.5 degrees would “not be safe” for communities like hers. “Even right now, it’s already evident that the climate crisis is ravaging different parts of the African continent,” Nakate said.

Yousafzai, 24, said that women were disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis.

“Treating climate change and gender inequality and girls’ education as separate issues is not doing justice to the cause of creating a fairer and better and cleaner world for all of us,” Yousafzai said. “It is important that we take these issues seriously and see the link between all of these.”

The comments came on the fifth day of the summit meeting, a gathering that John Kerry, the United States climate envoy, had billed as the planet’s “last, best chance” to curb the fossil fuel emissions that are driving climate change, reported NYT. (with inputs from ANI)

ALSO READ – COP26 pledges may close ambition gap by 9 Gt CO2

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COP26 pledges may close ambition gap by 9 Gt CO2

To keep 1.5C alive, annual CO2 emissions in 2030 need to be reduced by further 22 Gt CO2, reports Vishal Gulati

At the end of the pivotal UN climate change negotiations or COP26 week one on Friday, commitments, if delivered, would close ambition gap by 9 gigatonnes (Gt) CO2, leaving 13 Gt to go, says new analysis

To keep 1.5C alive, annual CO2 emissions in 2030 need to be reduced by further 22 Gt CO2.

The world came into Glasgow with a question: Can collective action by government, industry and civil society keep the prospect of holding warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in reach?

New analysis previewed by the Energy Transition Commission suggests that, if delivered in full, commitments made by the close of the first week at Glasgow could deliver 9 Gt of the further 22 Gt reduction in CO2 emissions required to achieve 1.5C.

Action on methane is also crucial to achieving 1.5C, with an estimated 40 per cent reduction required in 2030 annual methane emissions needed compared to the business as usual pathway.

(Photo: PIB)

The same analysis finds that, if delivered, commitments by the close of the first week at COP26 would account for one-third of this 40 per cent reduction.

To achieve 1.5C, both CO2 emissions and methane emissions in 2030 needed to be lower than what a business as usual pathway would deliver.

Action by the close of the first week of COP26 has begun to narrow the gap between what annual CO2 and methane emissions in 2030 are expected to be, and what they need to be to achieve 1.5C.

Leading into COP26 national decarbonisation pledges (Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs), made as part of the Paris Agreement, fell far short of keeping the planet’s average temperature rise within 1.5C, as noted in an earlier analysis by the Energy Transition Commission (ETC) published in September.

CO2

The same analysis identified a set of technically and economically feasible actions which, if implemented in the next decade, could keep the world on a pathway to 1.5C.

Today’s new analysis, looking across those same actions, assesses the potential impact of total commitments to date by the close of the first week of Glasgow in bending the curve towards 1.5C.

The research reflects new public and private sector commitments made during the first week of COP26, and the additional commitments made by the private sector through the UN Race to Zero in the run up to COP26 which were not reflected in the initial analysis of the emissions gap in September. These commitments would need to be fully executed to have the effect detailed.

The new data and analysis by the Energy Transition Commission was previewed by the organisation’s Chair, Lord Adair Turner at the headline event “Destination 2030” at COP26.

Sharma urges to step up talks

COP26 President Alok Sharma on Friday urged delegates attending the UN Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow, Scotland, to step up talks in the next 24 hours in order to guarantee a successful outcome in the second and final week of the event.

COP26 President Alok Sharma

“It is not possible for a large number of unresolved issues to continue into week 2. In this context, I urge the Chairs, Groups and all delegations to expedite discussions over the coming 24 hours, focusing efforts on the balanced set of issues which are critical to what needs to be achieved here in Glasgow,” Sharma said in a statement released by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)

The UK’s former Business minister said that since next week represents a more political, high-level phase of COP26, with ministers arriving to help draw proceedings, documents should be ready on Saturday for the closing plenary of the UNFCC subsidiary bodies.

The Glasgow summit due to finish on November 12 is seen as the last chance to tackle climate change and adopt meaningful commitment to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees. (with inputs from ANI)

ALSO READ – Prince William, Indian girl take centre stage at COP26

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Abu Dhabi Unveils Net Zero Action Plan

The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy outlined nine existing and planned projects to help accelerate the UAE’s ambitious Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, reports Asian Lite News

The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy on Friday confirmed key sector initiatives over the next decade to help accelerate the UAE’s sustainable economic growth while supporting its ambitious Net Zero By 2050 Strategic Initiative, during COP26 in Glasgow.

The DoE outlined nine existing and planned projects focused on clean energy generation from solar and nuclear sources, electrification of the water production system through reverse osmosis (RO) technology and enabling policies and energy efficiency measures. When combined they can reduce emissions associated with power generation and water production by at least 50 percent in the next 10 years.

Eng. Awaidha Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, said, “Building on a 15-year track record of climate innovation and the UAE’s enduring support for the Paris Climate Agreement, our commitment is underpinned by a strategic shift to low-carbon technologies with large-scale investment in solar and nuclear energy to drive down emissions. For instance, Abu Dhabi has developed a world-class sustainability investment vehicle through the launch of Masdar City in 2008 as one of the world’s first carbon-neutral developments. Since then, we have taken the lead regionally in deploying renewable energy.

Abu Dhabi
COP26 panel at UAE Pavillon on Climate Neutrality and the Opportunity for Economic Growth

“Our 1.2GW Noor Abu Dhabi Solar PV plant has increased the share of renewables in our energy mix to six percent of the emirate’s total installed capacity in 2021, and the launch of the first reactor of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in 2020 has also increased the share of carbon-free energy production in the emirate’s energy mix to 7 percent in 2021.

“With more upcoming renewable deployments like Abu Dhabi’s 2GW Al Dhafra Solar PV project due by 2023, as well as the baseload nuclear energy expected upon full operation of the Barakah plant, the total clean power generation capacity in the emirate will reach 8.8GW in 2025. That increases the share of clean energy capacity in the energy mix to 31 percent by 2025 from 13 percent in 2021.”

Al Marar added, “With these solar and nuclear projects, it could influence electricity generation by 2025 to be seven percent produced from solar PV sources and 47 percent from nuclear power.

“This means 55 percent of Abu Dhabi’s electricity in 2025 will be generated from clean sources and can cut power generation emissions from 40 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2020 to approximately 20 million tonnes in 2025.”

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri

The UAE Initiative comprises key existing and planned projects from Abu Dhabi’s energy sector that could drive total emission reductions of more than 29 million tonnes per year by 2030. These include: Noor Abu Dhabi Solar PV plant projected to avoid up to 1 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year Barakah Nuclear Power Plant to avoid 21 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year Al Dhafra 2GW Single Site Solar PV Plant which could reduce 2.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions Two additional solar projects with a combined capacity of 2GW and potential to avoid 2.6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions Two waste-to-energy plants in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain are expected to help reduce 2.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Additionally, Abu Dhabi is contributing a new planned water production electrification project to support the energy transition and ensure that the UAE Net Zero ambition becomes a reality in the future.

Commenting on the importance of decarbonising the water sector, Al Marar said, “Water is a vital resource and a national priority to cover the present and future water demands of our population, maintain our food security, and sustain our economic growth.

“Four of our current desalination plants in Abu Dhabi utilise RO technology and represent 24 percent of the emirate’s desalinated water production in 2021. This share is expected to grow to 43 percent by 2025 as new RO projects are implemented including the Al Taweelah RO desalination facility which is expected to be the largest in the world with a combined production capacity of 200 MIGD and the potential to avoid 1.2 million CO2 emissions per year.

“Additional RO projects through 2030 with an approximate total capacity of 680 million gallons per day are expected to increase the share of RO in Abu Dhabi’s total water production to 80 percent and reduce four million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.”

The UAE Net Zero Strategic Initiative also outlines a package of proposals to make the UAE’s energy, environment, industry, and transportation policies fit for enabling the necessary acceleration of greenhouse gas emission reductions in the next decade.

A notable initiative in this regard is the Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalisation Strategy which DoE designed to address supply and demand issues through a nine-programme multi-stakeholder approach. It aims to reduce electricity consumption by 22 percent and water consumption by 32 percent by 2030.

The strategic implementation could avoid the emission of more than 9 mt of CO2 emissions from the atmosphere – the equivalent of removing 1.5 million vehicles from the road for an entire year.

Between 2019 and 2020 Abu Dhabi’s DSM initiatives have contributed to achieving 6,183 GWh of cumulative annual electricity savings and 230 Mm3 of annual water savings, which represent short-term costs savings in the order of AED1.1 billion, avoiding the emission of approximately 3.2 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

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Nations fail to address climate literacy to combat crisis

With little time left to reverse the current course, climate education has the power to prepare students on how to evaluate risk, make responsible consumer decisions…reports Asian Lite News

With COP26 in full swing, now is the critical time for countries to commit to and prioritize formal climate education as a strategy to combat the climate crisis.

EARTHDAY.ORG and Education International have both conducted independent research reports that concluded that every country has failed when it comes to thoroughly addressing climate education and/or climate literacy in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The climate crisis is the greatest threat facing humanity and the planet. With little time left to reverse the current course, climate education has the power to prepare students on how to evaluate risk, make responsible consumer decisions and adapt to a rapidly changing economy.

EARTHDAY.ORG’s Climate Literacy Campaign and Education International’s Teach for the Planet Campaign have been working closely together to transform education systems around the globe to ensure that students benefit from high-quality education in order to develop into informed and engaged environmental stewards.

“Like any student on the brink of failing a class, this is the time for countries to get their act together. We are in the middle of a climate catastrophe — no country is safe from its impacts. We cannot afford any country to fail on climate change education. Let’s all mobilise, from teachers and students to the international community, so that all countries can make the grade,” said Researcher Christina Kwauk.

“The time to act is now. The climate crisis is not something we can overcome without education. Governments must ensure quality climate change education that is based on science and empowers all students for climate action and climate justice. To make this happen, teachers must be consulted and involved, and education systems must be transformed. The next COP may very well be too late,” said Susan Hopgood, Education International President.

“The signs couldn’t be more clear. Climate change is posing an existential threat to humanity and exposing how weak of a foundation we have to address this threat. Climate literacy is the glue that can build a new foundation — one which can bring about a more just and sustainable world.”

“Now, every country must commit to climate literacy, and everyone must be involved to generate this transformation,” said Rachel Weisbrot, Education and Communications Manager, EARTHDAY.ORG.

“Climate and environmental literacy is a critical component of the universal fight against climate change. We must instill the next generation with the tools and knowledge to fight environmental degradation and be prepared to build our green economic future. Every country must urgently step up their climate education commitments — our future depends on it,” said Kathleen Rogers, President, EARTHDAY.ORG.

ALSO READ: Soldiers protective shield of Mother India, says PM

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Will Glasgow summit bid adieu to coal?

The breadth of commitments in Glasgow at Energy Day signal the world is moving towards a renewable future….reports Asian Lite News

Coal is being consigned to history on Thursday at the UN climate change summit (COP26), as countries, banks, and organisations move away from the single biggest contributor to climate change.

A just transition to clean energy and the rapid phase-out of coal has been at the heart of the COP26 Presidency as part of its efforts to minimise temperature rises in line with the Paris Agreement.

The breadth of commitments in Glasgow at Energy Day signal the world is moving towards a renewable future.

At least 23 nations made new commitments to phase out coal power, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Poland, South Korea, Egypt, Spain, Nepal, Singapore, Chile, and Ukraine.

In a new ‘Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement’, countries also committed to scaling up clean power and ensuring a just transition away from coal.

Thursday’s announcements follow a collapse in the financing of coal, as developed nations have pledged new support to help developing countries make the transition to clean energy.

Banks and financial institutions also made landmark commitments at COP26 to end the funding of unabated coal, including major international lenders like HSBC, Fidelity International, and Ethos.

This follows recent announcements from China, Japan, and South Korea to end overseas coal financing which now means all significant public international financing for coal power has effectively ended.

In addition, a group of 25 countries, including COP26 partners Italy, Canada, the US and Denmark, together with public finance institutions, have signed a UK-led joint statement committing to ending international public support for the unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022 and instead prioritising support for the clean energy transition.

Collectively, this could shift an estimated $17.8bn a year in public support out of fossil fuels and into the clean energy transition. Developing countries, including Ethiopia, Fiji, and the Marshall Islands, offered their support, signalling growing unity.

Twenty-eight new members also signed up to the world’s largest alliance on phasing out coal – the Powering Past Coal Alliance, launched and co-chaired by the UK and Canada. New members include Chile and Singapore, joining more than 160 countries, sub-nations, and businesses.

COP 26 (Picture by Number 10/ Twitter)

And 20 new countries, including Vietnam, Morocco and Poland, committed to building no new coal plants, matching similar announcements over the past year by Pakistan, Malaysia and the Philippines, and building on the No New Coal Power Compact launched in September by Sri Lanka, Chile, Montenegro and European partners.

There has been a 76 per cent drop in the number of new coal plants planned globally over the last six years since the Paris Agreement was adopted. This equates to the cancellation of more than 1,000GW of new coal plants.

In separate announcements on Thursday, major emerging economies took significant steps to move from coal to clean power. India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Africa announced partnerships with the Climate Investment Funds to accelerate their transitions away from coal power, backed by a dedicated $2bn facility.

Indonesia and the Philippines announced pioneering partnerships with the Asian Development Bank to support the early retirement of coal plants.

These followed the ground-breaking $8.5bn deal to support South Africa’s just transition to clean energy announced at the World Leaders Summit on Tuesday.

Coal.

COP26 President, Alok Sharma, said: “From the start of the UK’s Presidency, we have been clear that COP26 must be the COP that consigns coal to history. With these ambitious commitments we are seeing today, the end of coal power is now within sight.

“Securing a 190-strong coalition to phase out coal power and end support for new coal power plants and the Just Transition Declaration signed today, show a real international commitment to not leave any nation behind.

“Together we can accelerate access to electricity for more than three quarters of a billion people who currently lack access, consigning energy poverty to history as we create the clean power future needed to keep 1.5 alive.”

Responding to decision of 19 countries committing to stop public financing for fossil fuel projects abroad by the end of next year, Jennifer Layke, Global Energy Director, World Resources Institute, told IANS: “It is great to see countries are taking action to shift the world away from fossil fuels toward a clean energy future. The IPCC is crystal clear that to avert a climate disaster our addiction to fossil fuels must end — and phasing out financing is a critical step forward.”

Saying US President Joe Biden must now ensure that the entire federal government is aligned with the important climate-protection initiative, Jake Schmidt, senior strategic director, International Climate in the International Program at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), told IANS: “This will help drive the transition to renewable energy forward to keep 1.5 C alive.”

ALSO READ: COP 26 :World Unites For Climate Summit in Glasgow

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COP26 Red Cross Appeals to World Leaders

COP26 Red Cross Appeals to World Leaders

The ICRC has witnessed conflicts that are more fragmented, more deadly for the civilian population, and are harder and harder to solve politically…reports Asian Lite News

Robert Mardini, Director General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has called on the more than 100 world leaders attending the ongoing UN climate summit, to prioritise the planet’s most vulnerable populations who face the dual challenge of armed conflicts and the dire consequences of climate change.

COP26 Red Cross Appeals to World Leaders

Mardini spoke to Xinhua news agency on the sidelines of the ongoing 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Glasgow, Scotland. He identified three main priorities for the participants.

ROBERT MARDINI, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: “The first one is for the international community to acknowledge that actually people living in armed conflicts and in contests affected by climate change are the most vulnerable and are to be really prioritized. The second one is the collective bold effort from the international community to focus on genuine and meaningful mitigation measures to reduce carbon emissions and to avert the climate crisis in the first place. And the third one is really linked to the most vulnerable (populations). They should be top of the list in terms of support, (but) the fact of the matter today (is) they are totally neglected.”

Between 2018 and 2020, Mardini was head of the ICRC’s delegation and permanent observer to the UN in New York. During his 22 years with the ICRC, he also led the ICRC’s Water and Habitat Unit, which managed projects in over 40 countries, such as Rwanda and Iraq.

On the eve of the current COP26 meeting, he visited Mali, where he gained first-hand experience of how climate change is pushing families to the brink in a country also battered by nearly a decade of conflict.

“I think Mali and many of the countries in the Sahel region exemplify really the ‘perfect storm,’ where communities find themselves being at the intersection of conflicts, violence, and also the consequences of climate change that are more and more visible,” he said.

“I was in Mali last week and I could see first-hand how those double challenges are hitting hard communities… I spoke with a woman for instance in a (displaced) camp, and she told me how she lost her house twice. The first time she lost it to floods, the second time she lost it to violence because of armed competition and violence around shrinking water resources and grazing lands,” he said.

“This is the story of millions of people living across the Sahel, in Niger, in Burkina Faso, including in places like Afghanistan. Out of the 25 countries that are today the most vulnerable to climate change, 14 are actually countries that are torn by armed conflict. So, you can imagine how challenging it is for those populations to face this double adversity,” he noted.

According to the UN, climate hazards have already damaged around 80 per cent of the farmlands in the Sahel region, drastically reducing food sources.

ALSO READ: Sheikh Abdullah meets US counterpart at COP26

Some 29 million people in the region were reported to need humanitarian assistance and protection, more than ever before.

Whether in Mali, Niger or Afghanistan, where the ICRC is present, “if I put really myself in the shoes of ordinary people who are struggling with the consequences of climate change, with the more frequent floods, drought, desertification, declining of water tables and hardship, I think that we are reaching a point where … the collective action needs to be taken by all states today”.

Mardini said that the ICRC has witnessed conflicts that are more fragmented, more deadly for the civilian population, and are harder and harder to solve politically.

“So the key here is for the international community and the warring sides to reach settlements, to really create political consensus to solve conflicts in the long term,” he said, urging the international community to “put everything in place to ensure respect for the rules and for international humanitarian law, which when respected, will reduce human suffering”.

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Sheikh Abdullah meets US counterpart at COP26

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Head of the UAE delegation to the COP26 meeting, has met with Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State…reports Asian Lite News

During the meeting, held on the sidelines of COP26 (the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC), Glasgow, United Kingdom, Sheikh Abdullah and Blinken discussed the longstanding historic relations between the UAE and the US as well as a number of regional and global issues of mutual concern.

Sheikh Abdullah emphasised the strong and strategic UAE-US relations and the continuous cooperation development in all fields between the two sides.

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, attended the meeting.

The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) – a major new initiative led by the UAE and US with the support of over 30 governments – officially launched on Tuesday and announced an “early harvest” of US$4 billion of increased investment to accelerate innovation for climate-smart agriculture and food systems over the next five years. The UAE has pledged US$1 billion of increased investment as part of this initiative.

Launched as part of COP26, the initiative aims to increase and accelerate agricultural and food systems innovation in support of climate action. Nearly 25 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. AIM for Climate is focused on leveraging high-potential economic returns and job creation from innovation investment in a sector that employs over 2 billion people and feeds the world’s growing population.

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AIM for Climate’s diverse list of supporters include over 30 countries from six continents including the recent addition of Azerbaijan, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as well as numerous other non-governmental agencies.

The AIM for Climate partners intend to catalyse greater public and private sector investment in, and other support for, climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation to help to raise global ambition and underpin more rapid and transformative climate action in all countries, including by enabling science-based and data-driven decision and policy-making. AIM for Climate partners are committing to significantly increase total investment in agricultural innovation by 2025 versus the 2020 baseline.

The initiative seeks to enable ambitious investment in climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation to help create a surge of solutions, enabling the world to meet nutritional needs, increase agricultural productivity, improve livelihoods, conserve nature and biodiversity, build resilience to climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and sequester carbon.

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Global platform to accelerate renewable energy

Global platform to accelerate renewable energy

The UAE and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) announced the launch of the Energy Transition Accelerator Financing (ETAF) platform on the sidelines of COP26, in Glasgow…reports Asian Lite News

The new Energy Transition Accelerator Financing (ETAF) Platform reinforces our long-standing commitment to support positive climate action in developing and vulnerable countries, said UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is leading country’s delegation to the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC (COP26).

Sheikh Abdullah attended the official launch ceremony of the ETAF Platform, a new global climate finance facility to accelerate the transition to renewable energy in developing countries.

Global platform to accelerate renewable energy

The UAE and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on Wednesday announced the launch of the global platform on the sidelines of COP26, in Glasgow, UK.

The UAE committed US$400 million in funding provided by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) toward the platform’s goal of securing a minimum of US$1 billion in total funding.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UAE fundamentally believes, we must work together globally, in partnerships, to mitigate the effects of climate change. The UAE is proud to act decisively in pushing forward a responsible, sustainability-led agenda, and in assisting other nations to benefit from the significant advantages of renewable energy.”

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, said, “The UAE views development aid and climate action as powerful catalysts for economic growth, both domestically and internationally. Today’s announcement will help to advance the economies of partner countries by providing reliable, low-cost renewable energy for businesses, industry, and homes. We are proud of this significant new contribution by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development to accelerate climate action and deliver immediate economic benefits in the process. This is the kind of initiative that combines partnership, policy and finance to create tangible progress and it is this focus on practical results that has motivated the UAE to offer to host COP 28 in 2023.”

Through co-financing, ETAF will aim to mobilise an additional US$2 billion in energy transition investments, targeting a total deployment of 1.5 GW of clean renewable energy generation and storage by 2030.

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ETAF will be managed by IRENA from its Abu Dhabi headquarters, capitalising on the UAE’s climate finance market and renewable energy innovation infrastructure. The new accelerator platform will help mitigate investment risks and finance renewable energy projects in developing countries that may otherwise struggle to secure sufficient capital.

Francesco La Camera, the Director-General of IRENA, said, “We have reached a defining moment in our generation’s efforts to put our economies and our environment on a path to stability, resilience and shared prosperity. The energy transformation is the most attractive and effective tool we have to achieve that. This new investment platform reflects the UAE’s commitment to shaping a sustainable future, and IRENA’s efforts to serve its over 180 member countries as an indispensable energy transformation partner. We encourage multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, governments, and private sector actors to join us in bolstering sustainable development efforts.”

The new UAE-IRENA partnership to establish the ETAF platform builds on the long-term collaboration between IRENA and ADFD, which includes seven cycles of the US$350 million IRENA-ADFD Project Facility. Between 2013 and 2020, the facility financed 26 projects in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, notably including Small Island Developing States.

Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of ADFD, said, “IRENA and ADFD have an excellent track record working together on the development of major renewable energy projects in developing markets. These projects have significant environmental, economic and social impact that is transformational for countries and their people. Through this new platform, we seek to bring together finance and development partners from around the world under a shared vision to combat climate change.”

“Given the essential role that renewable energy projects play in achieving sustainable development for developing countries, ADFD has committed to allocating US$400 million until 2030 to enable accelerated deployment. These projects will have a great impact on local communities, helping beneficiary countries to achieve greater economic and social development,” he added.

ADFD has contributed to financing to a number renewable energy projects in developing countries, in addition to funding the UAE’s initiatives to support renewable energy projects in island states, including the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility, UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund (UAE-CREF), and the UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund.

In total to date, ADFD has worked with a number of clean energy partners and governments around the world to support the development of 90 renewable energy projects in 65 countries that have the capacity to generate more than 9,000 megawatts of electricity. With the new ETAF contribution, ADFD’s total financing for renewable energy projects now stands at US$1.8 billion.

Global platform to accelerate renewable energy

The ETAF platform will source projects on an ongoing basis, supplemented by calls for proposals aligned with Paris Agreement and SDG milestones. Investment-ready projects identified under IRENA’s existing Climate Investment Platform will also represent a notable pipeline.

Moreover, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed visited the UAE’s pavilion at COP26, and commended the efforts of the pavilion team and the delegation members and the keenness they showed to highlight the UAE’s significant regional and global role in the field of climate action, especially since the UAE applied to host COP28 in 2023.

During his visit to the pavilion, he met with a group of Emirati youth, and highlighted their pivotal role in adopting innovative solutions to deal with the fallout of climate change, and the active and important role they are expected to play at COP28.

He also urged youth to enhance their contributions to climate action, noting that joint action, cooperation and constructive partnerships are the main course of action for tackling climate change.

Furthermore, Sheikh Abdullah underlined the importance of strengthening international cooperation and coordination in dealing with the repercussions of climate change, to drive environmental preservation efforts and ensure a prosperous, sustainable future for generations to come.

He also highlighted the UAE’s keenness to enhance its cooperation with other countries and support the efforts of the international community to tackle climate change and contain its fallout, and praised the UK’s hosting of COP26, which saw a huge turnout.

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Over 100 world leaders set tone for net-zero emissions

One of the most awaited announcements was India’s suite of near-term actions for a strengthened 2030 climate plan and commitment to reach net-zero by 2070, reports Vishal Gulati

After two days of high-level announcements and speeches, the World Leaders Summit at COP26 has concluded.

More than 100 heads of state and government took the podium to set the tone for the much anticipated UN climate conference (COP26). Over the coming days, negotiators will continue working towards a formal outcome on November 12.

Responding to high-level announcements, World Resources Institute President & CEO Ani Dasgupta said, “The first two days of COP26 offered the world a sharp reminder of the urgent need to accelerate climate action. You can feel a sense of excitement and determination to move the agenda forward. Many leaders announced serious new climate plans, partnerships and finance commitments. Now attention shifts to the negotiators who need to work together to deliver what is necessary to accelerate climate action this decade.”

Among the highlights of the first days were commitments to halt deforestation by 2030 and significantly cut methane emissions, along with a number of new net-zero pledges and increased commitments on adaptation finance.

One of the most awaited announcements was India’s suite of near-term actions for a strengthened 2030 climate plan and commitment to reach net-zero by 2070.

There were also new finance commitments by countries like Japan, Spain and Switzerland. Scotland pledged a million pounds to support developing countries experiencing losses and damage from climate impacts beyond what they can adapt to, the first of its kind.

“The world has made major strides since the Paris Agreement was forged, though action is still not fast or ambitious enough. Before Paris, the planet was on a path to heat up as much as 4 degrees Celsius by the end of this century,” Dasgupta said.

“We are looking for countries to build on this momentum in the coming days. Negotiators must work to spur a renewed spirit of solidarity. Developed countries should come forward with details on their additional financial pledges to meet the $100 billion annual commitment, including making up for any shortfalls, and agree on the process for setting the next goal of financial support to developing countries,” he said.

According to him, major emitters with insufficient 2030 climate plans should agree to come back to the table with stronger ones by 2023. Outside the negotiations, countries, businesses, investors and other actors should back their bold promises with action, financial resources and accountability.

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In the past two days, more than 100 countries signed the Global Methane Pledge, covering nearly half of global methane emissions and 70 per cent of global GDP. Countries signing the pledge are committed to collectively reduce methane emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2030, relative to 2020 levels.

Delivering on the pledge would avoid 0.2 degrees of warming by 2050.

Responding to the announcement of a new alliance to tackle methane emissions, Kat Kramer, Christian Aid’s climate policy lead, told IANS: “Today’s (Tuesday’s) anti-methane pledge by nearly 90 countries will be significant, if achieved, potentially reducing warming by 0.3C by the 2040s.

“Methane is a greenhouse gas strongly associated with the fossil fuel industry, with what are known as ‘fugitive emissions’ evaporating from coal mines, from oil and gas extraction and from pipelines. Methane is but another reason why the fossil fuel industry has to end — and soon.”

UK Boris Johnson and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi launched a new flagship international initiative at the World Leaders Summit.

Jointly led by the UK and India, the new initiative, called “Green Grids Initiative — One Sun One World One Grid” (GGI-OSOWOG), will accelerate the development and deployment of interconnected electricity grids across continents, countries and communities.

Modi said at the launch: “The One Sun One World One Grid and Green Grids Initiative is an idea whose time has come. If the world has to move to a clean and green future, these interconnected trans-national grids are going to be critical solutions. I congratulate the International Solar Alliance and the UK COP Presidency for bringing it nearer to implementation.”

At least 110 leaders representing 85 per cent of earth’s forests signed the COP26 Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use, committing to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.

Many companies and international banks also joined political leaders on this journey to fight climate change and save “the lungs of our planet”.

Meanwhile, more than 35 world leaders signed up to the Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda, which will see countries and businesses work together to scale up and speed the development and deployment of clean technologies while driving down costs this decade.

Signatories included the US, India, EU, developing economies, and even some of the nations that are most vulnerable to climate impacts.

More countries have stepped up: India, Thailand, Nepal, Nigeria, and Vietnam made new net-zero pledges which now means that 90 per cent of the global economy is covered by net-zero commitments

Encouraged by deforestation commitments, Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Cristian Samper said, “Science has shown that nature can contribute more than a third of the climate solution, and we cannot meet the goals of the Paris Agreement without nature. Indeed, forests already keep climate change from being considerably worse — by removing 30 per cent of the carbon-dioxide pollution we add to the atmosphere each year. Forests also buffer climate extremes. And tropical forests cool the planet directly and are the source of rainfall that is critical to downwind agricultural and hydroelectric production.”

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Experts suspicious of India’s new ambition at COP26

Modi’s announcements, especially the net zero target, sent shockwaves across the western world with mixed bag reactions….reports Asian Lite News

Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of enhancing India’s ambition, including declaring that India will go net zero in 2070, at the COP26, experts and stakeholders have also expressed caution that the devil lay in the detail and the actual implementation will matter more than mere announcements.

At the high-level World Leaders’ Summit at COP26 on Monday, Modi had announced, apart from the net zero target year, that India will enhance its targets to combat climate change by increasing its non-fossil fuel energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030, meet 50 per cent of its energy requirement from renewable energy by 2030, reduce its projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tons from now till 2030 and bring down the carbon intensity of its economy to less than 45 per cent.

“India’s national targets, announced by the Prime Minister, are bold and ambitious, but they will be immensely challenging as well to achieve. Going by our comparatively low contribution to global emissions, coupled with the fact that our economy needs to grow and meet the energy needs of millions of poor citizens, we did not need to make such an ambitious pledge – but these are a challenge to the already rich world to step up – the time for procrastination and prevarication is over,” Centre for Science and Environment’s Sunita Narain said.

Picture by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

The commitment to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 1 billion tonnes also means that India has decided to transform the energy system at a time when there is still the challenge of reaching affordable energy to millions in the country.

“As far as the net-zero 2070 is concerned, India’s target matches the commitment of the already industrialised. The fact is that the world must reach net-zero by 2050, which means that the OECD countries should get there by 2030 and China by 2040. The net zero target is not equitable or ambitious,” she said.

Stating that Modi’s goals of climate action demand universal strategies from all nations and that India’s growth path must increasingly include sustainability as a concomitant objective, CII President, T.V. Narendran, said that Indian industry is making significant progress in the climate mitigation mission and viewed Prime Minister Modi’s commitments as an opportunity to inculcate sustainability actions across its operations, goods and services.

“CII stands with the Prime Minister in ensuring that India meets its commitments for a cleaner, greener planet.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Director General, Vibha Dhawan, in a tweet, said: “Announcing the five points highlighting India’s Climate Action along with the year of achieving Net Zero is a huge step for the country both in terms of short-term and long-term climate action strategies. India has taken a pragmatic approach by announcing concrete targets in the short term by 2030 as well as achieving carbon neutrality in the long term”.

Modi’s announcements, especially the net zero target, sent shockwaves across the western world with mixed bag reactions. Referring to that, Professor at the Centre for Policy Research, Navroz Dubash said: “Overseas media will focus on India’s net zero by 2070 statement. But while it may mean something diplomatically, it will not be what drives change in India.”

“Much more intriguing are the announcements on railways, on non-fossil capacity and the benchmark for renewable energy. These are what give scope for India to drive a low-carbon development transition in the next decade,” he said.

But some experts have feared that with no clarity about details as yet, India seems to have missed out on no new coal opportunity.

“Given the changed economics of the energy sector, with renewables and battery storage now cheaper than the new coal, India was well positioned to commit to No New Coal and a coal peak. The fact that it didn’t is worrying and a huge missed opportunity,” think tank Climate Risks Horizons CEO Ashish Fernandes said.

“What’s the plan to stop growing our coal and oil emissions specifically and start phasing down? India cannot afford, for both financial and ecological reasons, to continue expanding its coal sector,” he added.

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