The Glasgow Climate Test

Context: Climate crisis is a code red for humanity. Actions or inactions of World leaders in COP26, in Glasgow will pave the path for addressing this planetary emergency.

Impact of Climate Change

• Temperatures everywhere are reaching new highs: According to IPCC report, earth is already 1.2 degrees warmer from pre-industrial era.
• Biodiversity is reaching new lows: According to a recent analysis, the sixth mass extinction of wildlife on Earth is accelerating.
  • More than 500 species of land animals are on the brink of extinction and are likely to be lost within 20 years; the same number were lost over the whole of the last century.
• Oceans are warming, acidifying and choking with plastic waste. Vast stretches of planet are becoming dead zones for humanity by this century’s end.
• Deteriorating health effects: Lancet described climate change to be the “defining narrative of human health” in the years to come, defined by widespread hunger, respiratory illness, deadly disasters and infectious disease outbreaks.

Issues associated with climate action

• Policy inaction: Latest UN reports says that governments’ actions so far simply do not add up to what is needed as world is on track for calamitous global temperature rises well above 2°C which is well short of the 1.5°C target of Paris Agreement.
• Reliance on old carbon-burning model of development: As fossil fuels—including coal, oil, and natural gas—have been powering economies for over 150 years, and currently supply about 80% of the world's energy.
• Lack of global solidarity like differences between developed and developing countries on historical responsibility, promises of fund and technology transfers etc.

Way forward

• Need for collective action: Paris Agreement target of 1.5°C is achievable if world leaders arrive in Glasgow with ambitious and verifiable 2030 targets, and new, concrete policies to reverse the trend.
  • G20 leaders should take responsibility and lead climate efforts to reduce human suffering.
• Ambitious targets: From reduction of global emissions by 45% compared to 2010 levels this decade to global net zero by 2050.
• Policy focus shall be on decarbonisation process: Shifting subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and tax pollution, not people.
  • And putting a price on carbon, and channel that towards resilient infrastructures and jobs.
  • Phasing -out coal — by 2030 in OECD countries and 2040 in all others. Stop financing coal.
• Global solidarity by building consensus among various stakeholders: Developing countries are grappling with debt and liquidity crises.
  • Public and multilateral development banks must significantly increase their climate portfolios and intensify their efforts to help countries transition to net zero, resilient economies.
  • Developed world must urgently meet its commitment of at least $100 billion in annual climate finance for developing countries.
  • Donors and multilateral development banks need to allocate at least half their climate finance towards adaptation and resilience.
• Everyone should take responsibility to safeguard collective future: Businesses and investors should no more rely on greenwashing and excuses and instead focus on reducing their climate impact, and fully and credibly aligning their operations and financial flows to a net zero future.
  • Individuals should make better and responsible life choices in eating, traveling, and buying simultaneously demanding action from leaders and keeping them accountable.