Tag: Glasgow

Categories
-Top News India News World News

Modi in Glasgow for crucial UN COP26 summit

Modi was received to the tune of Scottish bagpipes as he arrived at his hotel in Glasgow, where he was greeted by a large group of Indian diaspora representatives with chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Glasgow on Sunday for the COP26 climate summit and bilateral talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) meet.

“Landed in Glasgow. Will be joining the COP26 Summit, where I look forward to working with other world leaders on mitigating climate change and articulating India’s efforts in this regard,” PM Modi said on Twitter.

The Prime Minister was received to the tune of Scottish bagpipes as he arrived at his hotel in Glasgow, where he was greeted by a large group of Indian diaspora representatives with chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.

“Leaving for Glasgow after a fruitful G20 Summit in Rome. During the Summit, we were able to have elaborate deliberations on issues of global importance such as fighting the pandemic, improving health infrastructure, boosting economic cooperation and furthering innovation,” PM Modi said in an earlier tweet.

The Prime Minister, who flew into Glasgow from the G20 Summit in Italy, is scheduled to begin the UK leg of his European tour with a meeting with community leaders and Indologists based in Scotland on Monday morning.

He will then proceed for the opening ceremony of the World Leaders’ Summit (WLS) at the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, where he is set to address the summit plenary session.

PM Modi’s bilateral meeting with Boris Johnson is expected to take place soon after Monday’s opening ceremony, which will include cultural performances and a speech by the UK Prime Minister. Johnson has said the summit will be the “world’s moment of truth” and has urged world leaders to make the most of it.

“The question everyone is asking is whether we seize this moment or let it slip away,” he said, ahead of the two-week conference.

His talks with PM Modi are expected to focus on the UK-India climate partnership as well as a stock-take of the 2030 Roadmap for stronger UK-India Strategic Partnership – signed by the two leaders during a virtual summit in May this year.

“Both governments remain committed to the implementation of the Roadmap, within prescribed timelines. Accordingly, we are looking to launch negotiations in November 2021 for an Interim Agreement to be signed in March 2022 and eventually a comprehensive agreement, if all goes according to schedule, by November 2022,” India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Gaitri Issar Kumar, said ahead of the prime ministerial talks – the first in-person meeting between PM Modi and Johnson following the UK PM’s twice cancelled visit to India earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PM Modi-Johnson meeting will be followed by a leader-level COP26 event entitled Action and Solidarity: The Critical Decade, with PM Modi set to deliver India’s national statement on the country’s climate action to the delegates soon after.

“India is among the top countries in the world in terms of installed renewable energy, wind and solar energy capacity. At the WLS, I will share India’s excellent track record on climate action and our achievements,” PM Modi said in a statement ahead of the summit.

“I will also highlight the need to comprehensively address climate change issues including equitable distribution of carbon space, support for mitigation and adaptation and resilience building measures, mobilisation of finance, technology transfer and importance of sustainable lifestyles for green and inclusive growth,” he said.

India’s focus at the COP26 Summit will be on the country’s “ambitious” Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goals for the post-2020 period under the Paris Agreement.

These include a reduction in emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level, as well as achieving 40 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030.

Predictable and consistent financing of green technology for developing countries will be another key area of focus for India.

At the end of day one of the World Leaders’ Summit on Monday, PM Modi will join more than 120 Heads of Government and Heads of State at a special VVIP reception at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum – one of Scotland’s most popular visitor attractions.

The reception will also involve members of the royal family, including Prince Charles and wife Camilla and Prince William and wife Kate Middleton.

Queen Elizabeth II was due to attend this special reception but pulled out last week after medical advice against travel.

On Tuesday, the final day of PM Modi’s UK visit, the PM is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of Switzerland, Finland, Israel, Nepal, Malawi, Ukraine, Japan and Argentina, as well as a meeting with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

The launch of the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States initiative and a leader-level event entitled Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment are also scheduled for Tuesday before the Prime Minister flies back to New Delhi in the evening.

The India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) will launch a new Green Grids Initiative in partnership with the UK, with an ambition to connect different parts of the world with a common solar grid.

ALSO READ-Mars Mission launches competition for UAE students

READ MORE-Climate Finance: UK pledges additional 1 bn pounds

Categories
-Top News Europe World News

G20 wraps up, Climate talks kick off in Glasgow

According to Mountford, for the first time, G20 leaders collectively recognized the importance of reaching net-zero emissions by or around mid-century…reports Asian Lite News.

G20 leaders have committed to revisit and further enhance their 2030 emission reduction targets. This must now paint the way for negotiators at the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) that opened in Glasgow with the key aims of raising ambition on all fronts, experts said on Monday.

However, some believe G20 made a mild pledge on climate change that is now an existential threat to humanity.

The G20 Summit wrapped on Sunday in Rome as the two-week long COP26 climate talks kicked off in Glasgow.

The G20 communique includes several signals calling for bold climate action. G20 leaders noted the importance of strengthening national climate action this decade and reach net-zero emissions by or around mid-century and for the first time committed to halt international financing for building unabated coal-fired power plants abroad.

Responding to the G20 announcement to scale up support for clean power, World Resources Institute Vice President (Climate and Economics) Helen Mountford told IANS: “G20 leaders made some progress heading into the COP26 summit in Glasgow, calling for accelerated climate action this decade, phasing out international coal financing, and recognizing the importance of reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century.

“It is noteworthy that G20 leaders committed to revisit and further enhance their 2030 emission reduction targets where necessary. This must now paint the way for negotiators at COP26 to agree that major emitters will come back in the next couple of years to further strengthen their 2030 targets to align with avoiding the 1.5 degrees C temperature threshold.

“While the latest national climate plans have shifted us to a much better trajectory than the one before the Paris Agreement was struck, they do not achieve the deep emission reductions necessary to avoid the most dangerous levels of warming.”

According to Mountford, for the first time, G20 leaders collectively recognized the importance of reaching net-zero emissions by or around mid-century.

“It is impressive that 90 per cent of G20 countries have now indicated some intention to reach net-zero, which would have been unfathomable just a few years ago.

“G20 countries deserve credit for sending an unequivocal message that they will stop financing unabated coal power abroad, yet they failed to make the obvious leap to stop building coal-fired plants at home as well. At COP26, countries can continue to sound the death knell for the world’s dirtiest fossil fuel. Shifting investments to clean energy is just common sense given it is cheaper almost everywhere.”

Seeing the G20 statement extremely disappointing, Namrata Chowdhary, Chief of Public Engagement at 350.org said: “Heads of state from the world’s richest — and therefore most powerful — countries had the opportunity to radically reset multilateral politics and generate the commitments necessary to keep global heating below 1.5 degrees Celsius, to protect workers, communities, the environment and future generations.

“Instead, they’ve made a contradictory and empty statement on climate: they’ve restated their commitment to keeping global heating below 1.5 degrees Celsius, but failed to commit to any action themselves, not even agreeing that their national climate plans must be improved.

“Right now, they have us on a path to nearly 3 degrees of heating. These so-called leaders need to do better. They have another shot at this: starting tomorrow (Monday).”

Representatives from the most impacted people and areas, along with thousands of campaigners for climate justice from around the world, are heading to Glasgow to hold them accountable at COP26.

On finance, the G20 leaders agreed to use recovery plans for climate, mobilise more from development banks (World Bank etc.) and new commitment to mobilise public and private for green development.

Ulka Kelkar, Climate Policy Director, WRI India, said: “The G20 leaders’ call to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is very significant. COP26 now needs to back it up with measures to cut emissions rapidly in this decade and urgently scale up climate finance.”

Climate change think tank E3G’s Senior Associate Alden Meyer said: “The acknowledgement by G20 leaders that akeeping 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach will require meaningful and effective actions and commitment by all countries,’ together with their pledge to aaccelerate our actions across mitigation, adaptation and finance’ and ato take further action this decade’ is an important signal.

“But much hard work — especially on issues of climate finance — remains ahead if COP26 is to reach agreement on concrete ways to address the huge gap in ambition between what countries have currently committed to under the Paris Agreement and what is needed to keep 1.5 degrees C alive and help vulnerable countries and communities cope with the mounting impacts of climate change.

“Leaders must instruct their ministers and negotiators to turn this rhetoric into reality over the next two weeks if Glasgow is to truly represent a turning point in our common endeavour of confronting the climate emergency.”

In the backdrop of a series of reports and studies warning that urgent action is needed to keep the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global average temperature increases to 1.5C within reach, COP26 opened on Sunday with the key aims of raising ambition on all fronts and finalising the agreement’s implementation guidelines.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa

“We are extremely grateful to the government of the UK for hosting this crucially important conference in these unprecedented times and for making every effort to keep all participants safe and healthy,” UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa said.

“The devastating loss of lives and livelihoods this year due to extreme weather events clarifies how important it is to convene COP26 despite the impacts of the pandemic still being felt. We are on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7C, while we should be heading for the 1.5C goal. Clearly, we are in a climate emergency.”

ALSO READ-Climate Finance: UK pledges additional 1 bn pounds

READ MORE-COP 26 :World Unites For Climate Summit in Glasgow

Categories
-Top News World News

COP26: Last Hope To Save Planet?

Around the world storms, floods and wildfires are intensifying. Air pollution affects the health of tens of millions of people and unpredictable weather causes untold damage to homes and livelihoods too…reports VISHAL GULATI

The coming two weeks at Glasgow are pivotal for world leaders and are hard at work on climate priorities — to keep global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as required by the 2015 Paris Agreement and is the ‘real science’.

The scary facts about the climate change is that it could drive 100 million more people into poverty by 2030 and air pollution kills seven million people every year.

This July has earned the distinction as the world’s hottest month ever recorded as per the new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Ahead of about 120 world leaders from US President Joe Biden to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are converge on Glasgow from Monday for COP26 — the 2021 edition of the UN Annual Climate Change Conference with the UK presidency’s key objective as keeping the goal of limiting temperature increase to 1.5C within reach, COP26 President Alok Sharma tweeted: “Witnessing the utter devastation caused by climate change has been a hugely humbling experience call on world leaders to act. Paris promised, Glasgow must deliver.”

Many believe the Glasgow summit that Britain is hosting is to be the world’s best last chance to get runaway climate change under control.

“Without decisive action, we are gambling away our last chance to — literally — turn the tide,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said ahead of the summit.

Why COP26 is important?

As per the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, all countries agreed to step up efforts to try and limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial temperatures, and boost climate action financing.

During the climate negotiations, which missed 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, among other issues, delegates from 196 countries and the EU will be aiming to finalise the ‘Paris Rulebook’, or the rules needed to implement the Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Under the Paris Agreement, countries committed to bring forward national plans setting out how more they would reduce their emissions — known as Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs.

This time they will need to agree on common timeframes for the frequency of revision and monitoring of their climate commitments.

Some nations have already set goals to reach net zero emissions and others need to dramatically raise their ambition.

“At COP26, we will work with partners to take forward action on protecting and restoring forests and critical ecosystems, and we will champion the transition towards sustainable, resilient and nature positive agriculture,” said Sharma in a forward that sets out the exciting series of events that will be taking place.

“COP26 needs to be decisive. Whether future generations look back at this time with admiration or despair, depends entirely on our ability to seize this moment. Let’s seize it together,” he said.

Around the world storms, floods and wildfires are intensifying. Air pollution affects the health of tens of millions of people and unpredictable weather causes untold damage to homes and livelihoods too.

But while the impacts of climate change are devastating, advances in tackling it are leading to cleaner air, creating good jobs, restoring nature and at the same time unleashing economic growth.

In the run up to COP26, the Aldersgate Group and leaders from business, academia, and civil society urged world governments to respond to the challenges set by the UK Presidency and seize the opportunity the talks present to deliver a clear pathway towards keeping average temperature increases to within 1.5C.

They emphasised the significant economic opportunity presented by the transition to net zero emissions, called on all major emitters to increase their emission reduction pledges (NDCs) in line with the 1.5C target and called for progress on meeting climate finance pledges to developing countries, phasing out coal, progressing rules for international carbon trading and mobilising international finance towards low-carbon infrastructure.

The IPCC’s recent Sixth Assessment Report delivered a clear message to policymakers, declaring a code red for humanity and stressing the need for immediate action to address the climate crisis.

Despite promising commitments have been made by a growing number of economies like the US, Japan, the European Union, and the UK ahead of the talks, the latest UNEP Emissions Gap Report finds new and updated NDCs only take 7.5 per cent off predicted 2030 emissions, while 55 per cent is needed to meet the 1.5-degree Paris goal.

The report finds that net-zero pledges could make a big difference. If fully implemented, these pledges could bring the predicted global temperature rise to 2.2 degrees, providing hope that further action could still head off the most-catastrophic impacts of climate change.

However, net-zero pledges are still vague, incomplete in many cases, and inconsistent with most 2030 NDCs.

The clock is ticking loudly and clear — the last chance of limiting global warming to 1.5C as Paris promised six years ago and Glasgow, surrounded by the Clyde river and parks, must deliver with a net-zero emissions economy no later than 2050.

ALSO READ-COP26: How Big India Will Go

READ MORE-COP26: Oxfam calls on India to tackle twin challenges

Categories
-Top News Asia News UK News

COP26: Modi to play crucial role

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to play his crucial part in delivering climate ambition through the carbon market mechanism, hanging since the 2019 Madrid conference, at the upcoming two-week Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP 26) … writes Vishal Gulati

In just days to the crucial UN climate conference in Glasgow, nearly 200 countries under the leadership of US President Joe Biden will also put in place the crucial rules of the carbon market mechanism and its transparency to ensure its smooth functioning for supporting countries in achieving their climate commitments to put the brakes on dangerous climate change.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to play his crucial part in delivering climate ambition through the carbon market mechanism, hanging since the 2019 Madrid conference, at the upcoming two-week Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP 26) that Britain is hosting.

 Sources told IANS that Modi will be travelling to Glasgow from November 1-2 to participate in the World Leaders Summit where President Biden and Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison have confirmed their attendance.

 An official confirmation about Modi’s visit is yet to be announced.

 India, China, Brazil and some other developing countries have strong been advocating for continuation of carbon credits, which allow companies to compensate for their greenhouse gas emissions, under the 2015 Paris Agreement —  an ambitious global action plan to fight climate change.

 The carbon market mechanism, principally the guidance for Article 6 (market and non-market mechanisms) of the Paris Agreement rulebook, is the new climate change voluntary mitigation mechanism that aims to assist organisations in reducing carbon footprints.

 At the 2019 UN climate summit the countries failed to agree unanimously on Article 6 concerning the carbon markets system as the lengthy negotiations remained inconclusive despite 48 hours past the official deadline.

 Outlining agenda for the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa says one of the key negotiation topics is the wrapping up outstanding negotiations around Article 6 rules, to finally enable market and non-market tools to launch their operations.

 Agreement on Article 6 rules uphold environmental integrity, including guidance for cooperation under Article 6.2, a new UN mechanism under Article 6.4 and a work programme on non-market approaches under Article 6.8.

 Explaining the carbon market mechanisms, the UNFCCC says when countries set a limit, or cap, on greenhouse gas emissions, they create something of value: the right to emit.

 What happens if we apply market principles and rules? The countries or companies that reduce emissions below their cap have something to sell, an unused right to emit, measured in tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

 Countries and companies that don’t meet their target can buy these one-tonne units to make up the shortfall. This is called emissions trading, or cap and trade. The net affect on the atmosphere is the same, provided measurements are accurate, i.e. each unit represents a true one-tonne reduction below the cap and each unit is used only once. This requires clear rules and transparency.

 The Article 6 carbon market rules will replace Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, the predecessor to the Paris Agreement.

 In India, 1,669 projects have been successfully registered under the CDM, millions of certified emission reductions (CERs) credits, better known as carbon credits, remain unsold with collapsing of the CDM market.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison after the Quad Leader’s Summit in Washington.

 One CER equals to one tonne of carbon dioxide. The CERs help companies earn billions of dollars by trading them. Currently, there is market but no political platform.

 At the last UN climate summit the developed world took the stand of not allowing the ‘junk’ carbon market, which allows buying and selling of carbon emissions, and emerged under the Kyoto Protocol adopted in December 1997 to continue in the exiting mechanism under the Paris Agreement.

 They blamed faulty mechanism and loopholes in the existing system that failed to prevent double-counting of carbon credits and wanted a new mechanism to be put in place.

 Several countries like India were demanding to carry forward the old carbon credits earned also by companies to meet new climate targets.

 The carbon credit system allows countries to reduce their emission reduction targets by accumulating and trading in carbon credits.

 As per rough estimates, nations hold close to 4 billion unsold certified emission reductions (CERs). India has a depository of 750 million and China has much more than India.

 Climate negotiators say there is need to build transparency in the COP26 to trade carbon credits as the current mechanism has been “fraught with scandals”.

 A latest report from an international task force led by UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, Mark Carney, and chaired by Bill Winters, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank, says to achieve the Paris goals to limit global warming, the global community needs to reach ‘net zero’ emissions by no later than 2050.

 This will require a whole-economy transition — every company, every bank, every insurer and investor will have to adjust their business models, develop credible plans for the transition and implement them.

 The report, Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets, says given the demand for carbon credits that could ensue from global efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, it’s apparent that the world will need a voluntary carbon market that is large, transparent, verifiable, and environmentally robust.

 Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires that global annual greenhouse gas emissions are cut by 50 per cent of current levels by 2030 and reduced to “net zero” by 2050.

READ MORE: COP26: Will World Leaders Workout a Roadmap?

READ MORE: India, UK set to announce ‘green grid’ at COP26 summit

Categories
-Top News UK News

Tech jobs increase in Edinburgh and Glasgow

Strong employee demand for jobs is not only confined to the tech sector, with general vacancies increasing by 11.2% on average in Scotland month on month throughout 2021 to 46,990 in June…reports Asian Lite News.

Scotland’s tech scene is booming according to figures released today that show tech roles in Glasgow and Edinburgh have increased by more than a quarter in the past two years, demonstrating some of the highest growth in the whole of the UK.

According to data analysed by smarter job search engine Adzuna for the UK’s Digital Economy Council and Tech Nation, IT-related vacancies now make up 13% of all UK job vacancies.

In Edinburgh and Glasgow, tech jobs make up an even higher proportion of roles – up 30% and 28% respectively – as companies seek to find talented staff to help them expand and grow following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Strong employee demand for jobs is not only confined to the tech sector, with general vacancies increasing by 11.2% on average in Scotland month on month throughout 2021 to 46,990 in June.

“Scottish tech is booming right now with more roles than many other parts of the country available,” said Digital secretary Nadine Dorries.

Nadine Dorries (Wikipedia)

“It’s fantastic to see how confidence in UK tech is translating into exciting opportunities nationwide. This government is dedicated to supporting people with the skills they need to excel in this dynamic industry.”

Scottish tech start-ups and scaleups collectively employ 135,000 people, the third-highest in the UK after the South East and London. The strength of the sector in Scotland is also translating into high salary offers

Edinburgh boasts some of the highest salaries for the UK tech industry. The median digital tech salary in the city is £41,250, second only to London’s top range of £55,000.

Technical and non-technical staff can both excel in the city, with the average salary for roles including IT system architects and project managers higher in Edinburgh than across the UK.

Meanwhile, Glasgow is ranked third in the UK for the cost of living versus salary for tech roles. The median digital tech salary in Glasgow is £38,500 compared to £29,000 for all industries, and around 33% of all tech jobs in the city are in non-technical roles.

ALSO READ-Emirates to create 3,500 more jobs

READ MORE-Unemployed Londoners offered free training to secure jobs