Plastered along the walls of the Feria de Madrid metro station were posters with climate facts, all ending in the statement “Don’t call it climate, call it climate emergency.” This idea of emergency, and rather the term heard over and over again throughout the COP, urgency, was coupled with the need for greater ambition. Simply put, this rhetoric follows the realization that all of the countries self-identified nationally determined contributions (NDCs), don’t put us on the pathway for a world below 2° Celsius warming. Thus, there’s a need for greater ambition and a greater sense of urgency from parties, industry, NGOs, and even individuals to come together in order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Clearly Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is the big-ticket item at this COP and all eyes are on the progress of negotiations around it. Article 6 is a key piece of the puzzle to ensure we stay within our planetary limits, so the need for urgency around ratifying this item by the end of the two weeks is evident. Negotiators have been working around the clock to come to agreeable terms but this can sometimes be hindered by the procedural nature of UN Conferences. Additionally, defining the terms of accounting and mechanisms through Article 6 includes a wide range of stakeholders, all of whom have vested interests and varied ideas on the most equitable system.
Urgency and ambition were included in the messaging of almost every side event and was even the name of the WWF Pavilion. One of the things I was curious about was if urgency was a theme at every COP since we’ve known about the dire effects of climate change for a quite a while. After speaking to a whole host of individuals who had each attended ten or more COPs, it was clear that the communications around urgency have been ramped up for this COP. One of the reasons for this could be that the 2020 and 2030, the years for most countries global stocktakes, first set of targets, and other climate action items, are approaching soon. In order to successfully measure and meet these goals, there is an urgent need for action from all actors.
As I was following business and private sector for the majority of the week, I was incredibly inspired by the large strides taken by key players in this space. Companies are making commitments to be carbon neutral, sustainably source products in their supply chain, increase energy efficiency in their operations, and develop public-private partnerships to help achieve global climate action targets. They are beginning to understand that internalizing sustainability initiatives helps achieve fiscal targets within the company as well.
To add onto the top-line message of urgency and ambition, I’d say that partnerships, whether they be bilateral or multilateral, are of increasing importance. It is clear that no one actor can take on the challenge of combating climate change. Working together is a key strategy to use to ensure that we stay below 2° Celsius warming.
