Climate Concerns And COP 28

“The climate emergency is race we are losing, but it is a race we can win.”
— UN Secretary-General António Guterres

The Red Alert

We are rapidly moving towards a certain possibility of irreversible phase of change in weather patterns. Major concerns of destructive phenomenon, such as floods, volcanic eruption, drought etc are apparent frequently. This does signify a need of action, especially in those areas causing damages in large level.
Greenhouse Gas emissions mainly consisting Carbon dioxide and Methane are behind these disruptive Climate changes. These Greenhouse gases gets trapped in atmosphere causing rise in temperature.

Carbon emission reduction has become imperative in order to check the temperature rise.
The average temperature of the Earth’s surface is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s (before the industrial revolution)

COP and its Objectives

The formal meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COP) monitor the Global efforts to control climate damage by reducing Greenhouse gases. An agreement was signed in Paris on December 12, 2015 to limit the temperature rise.
It was noted by G20 countries that the temerature rise of 1.5

The formal meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COP) monitor the Global efforts to control climate damage by reducing Greenhouse gases. An agreement was signed in Paris on December 12, 2015 to limit the temperature rise. The Strategy that is most conducive, is to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 °C as the climate change impact is much lower than when the temperature rises by 2 °C. A cut of 43% in Carbon Utilization becomes imperative to meet this goal by 2030.
An alternative way to safeguard the Carbon Stock is to switch completely to renewable resources such as Solar energy and limit Fossil fuel use. The use of renewable resources has to be tripled.

Issues and constraints

Several hurdles and road blocks are in the way to achieve the set objectives of Carbon use reduction.
Development of infrastructure for under developed and developing economies require use of Fossil fuels as inexpensive resource. The cost of fossil fuel with respect to renewable resources where the outlay is massive, compared to renewable resources is much less and is more affordable.

India’s refusal to sign COP agreement

The COP declaration has policies that accentuates Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the focus on Good Health and Well being. The commitment to reduce the Carbon emission level should be in alignment with practical aspects as well. Greenhouse gas emission from cooling applications within Healthcare sector projects a serious threat, However India finds it difficult to comply to this aspect as it will be detrimental in meeting growing medical demands in India.

Along with Healthcare Sector, there are other areas such as Steel Sector, from which there is a need to restrict Greenhouse Gas Emission. In India, The Steel sector is responsible for 12% of CO₂ emission. Even though Steel is an integral part in infrastructure development, but implementing a process that mitigates the Amount of CO₂ emission, will benefit in achieving India’s Objective of “Net Zero Carbon emission by year 2050”.

Conclusion

Though the Agreements and Declarations have been in the arena since 1990, Truth is, Global emissions have increased, Adaptation of green energy to replace Fossil fuel comes with a cost. The big players in Fossil fuel business would be the one to obstruct the replacement. The weaker Economies would become more dependent on the developed and more stronger Economies and they all are well aware of the consequences. The burden lies on developed countries to build the trust and put a sincere effort with the consideration of impacts in developing and under developed nations.