You will probably hear the words COP26 quite a lot over the coming weeks.
COP 26 is the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change. This forum will hopefully have a major impact on how the global population plans and prepares to tackle climate change in the coming years.
This conference is the first time that parties are expected to commit to
further reduce carbon emissions since COP21 (Paris Agreement).
This is NOW the critical time to come up with a plan of action because most of the recent climate projections (IPCC) have the planet reaching the tipping point within the next 5-8 years.
The rapid acceleration of planetary warming, largely due to the” runaway train“ of globalisation has accelerated the temperature rise at a frightening pace.
Several years ago the average person believed climate change would
happen sometime in the distant future- maybe not even in their lifetime. However, with the recent stream of catastrophic and often unprecedented extreme weather events, everyone needs to understand that those extremes that HAD been forecasted are upon us NOW!
As a young man studying for my meteorology degree over 30 years ago I was taught about global warming and it’s impact on our future. Frighteningly, now I see those predicted catastrophes happening in the present day.
I have been privileged to have worked and forecasted around the world and in that time I see that the daily weather maps and forecasting criteria have changed and continue to change dramatically as this extreme planetary warming really starts to bite.
Sadly the COP26 forum will not be a” flick of the switch” game changer.
Even if all the World Leaders were to immediately agree to drastic cuts to carbon emissions, global warming and deadly weather events will still continue in the years to come. Any reductions will take years to see results.
Can we look forward to a positive outcome to COP26? The planet’s future and our future depend on it. More importantly, it is essential that the citizens of our planet learn adaptability and ultimately survivability as our planet continues to change in the years to come.
Image credit npr.org