I was unsure of what to write for this blog post—COP26 is both narrow in terms of specific important negotiations and broad in that there are 25,000 attendees and side events and pavilion talks occurring everywhere, with different themes each day. That narrow focus is what I have kept coming back to while thinking about the conference.
COP26 will not be a name-brand COP for the usual reasons—think Paris (of Accords fame), Copenhagen (Agreement), or Kyoto (Protocol). There are no shiny new treaties on the table to be negotiated; the primary point of party negotiations will be financial aspects of the Paris Accords (yes, from 2015), and following up on commitments for green development funding. Even so, Glasgow may be branded in the history of environmentalism and international climate politics because of that lack of significant new change. In talking with other students and environmental advocates prior to traveling, many expressed frustration towards a perceived disconnect in environmental priorities between the global public and global powers. The latest IPCC report is as close to an emergency alert as you can get and was clear in its statement that climate change is an existential threat. What will updated national commitments look like?
I am excited and deeply grateful to attend the COP, and as an emerging environmental policy professional I want to pursue international geopolitical work, but I am also passionate about environmental justice. The Global South will be disproportionately affected by extreme weather and environmental degradation, as will marginalized groups in the North. Climate adaptation with priority investments in vulnerable communities is necessary to prevent massive harm, but this is still acting after disaster occurs. I believe we can still mitigate climate change, even if some effects are now unavoidable, but I’m unsure at what level major change will occur. In the United States, local and state governments are making real progress on decarbonization and equity. Can federal government follow suit?
Questions of equity surround this COP in general, as it is likely to be the most exclusive COP to date. Organizers have set strict regulations for attendance, with required vaccinations and daily testing. I am completely in favor of this, but it does present an equity challenge given the disparities in vaccine access worldwide. We’ve also seen firsthand the price inflation of accommodations here, which shuts people out who cannot afford it. Further, due to the pandemic visa acquisition has become significantly more difficult for people from countries without visa-free access to the UK. Environmental inequities and climate change disproportionately impact marginalized communities and developing nations—how can the premier global environmental policy event grapple with real and inclusive climate change solutions if representation of the people most affected is limited?
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