Too many words, too little action at COP26. And Switzerland is not setting a good example
It doesn’t matter whether it is spoken well or badly, what matters is that it is spoken. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), which is now drawing to a close, is certainly on everyone’s lips.
This content was published on November 12, 2021 – 6:00 am
with Luigi Jorio
The first draft of the final agreement reveals small gains and many – too many – uncertainties. Meanwhile, Switzerland is trying to have a say at the international summit, but should perhaps do better at home first.
According to some, everything is at stake in Glasgow, according to others, almost nothing. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calls it “an opportunity to make history”, while climate activists speak of a “celebration of business-as-usual” and the “usual blah”. “Change won’t come from there, that’s not leadership,” says Greta Thunberg impetuously before snubbing Barack Obama to return to her classroom. “I am cautiously optimistic about climate progress,” replies British Prime Minister Boris Johnson shyly.
But even if opinions polarize, the facts remain and the bite is bitter: Despite announcements, discussions and promises, the planet is heading for a global temperature increase of 2.4 degrees Celsius, well above the 1.5 degree limit of the Paris Agreement . according to a recent independent reportexternal link. “It is clear that there is a huge void in terms of credibility, action and engagement,” reads the paper on what happened in Glasgow.
In the meantime, negotiations will continue at COP26. The first draft of the agreement, published on Wednesday, for the first time stipulates the obligation of all participating states to forego coal and fossil fuel subsidies, which were seen as the key sticking points of the negotiations. However, the document is still felt to be too vagueexternal link.
My colleague Luigi Jorio, who works on climate issues, sees the summit this way:
Two images of the Glasgow conference perfectly summarize our handling of the climate crisis: the thousands of participants that formed in front of the entrance to the convention center on the first day and the hustle and bustle of around 400 private jets that brought heads of state, business people and celebrities into the Scottish city .
When it comes to limiting emissions and global warming, many people want to get involved in international efforts. But when promises and big announcements have to be put into practice, old, comfortable habits die hard: an ambivalent attitude that gets us nowhere.
Brave abroad, undemanding at home
For its part, Switzerland is trying to have a positive influence on the discussions in the hope of developing strong and uniform rules to limit carbon dioxide emissions.
But after the rejection of the CO2 Act at the ballot box, it is justified to ask what kind of credibility Switzerland should expect from others. Luigi Jorio asked himself this question and analyzed Switzerland’s position at the climate summit, but also considered how the country is doing at home.
Although Switzerland supports an ambitious climate policy, its contribution to an emission-free planet is disappointing. That’s why it is has lost ground in the ranking of the countries most engaged in the fight against climate change.external link
The data on the rise in temperature in the Alpine region speak for themselves. “Switzerland is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The average temperature has already risen by almost two degrees in the last 150 years, twice as fast as the global average. The most noticeable effect of the warming is the melting of the glaciers, ”writes Luigi Jorio.
Global warming is therefore taking place more quickly in Switzerland. And while Switzerland’s latitude and remoteness from the sea do nothing to reverse that process, their efforts remain loud Assessment by Climate Analyticsexternal link. If other countries followed the Swiss example, global temperatures would rise by 3-4 degrees by the end of the century, writes the organization. Other unexpected countries like Gambia are considered to be much more virtuous. Read more in our article:
How do you assess Switzerland’s position on climate issues? Write meexternal link to discuss it.
If it’s hot, take off your jacket, right?
However, part of the public opinion continues to deny the harmful effects of human activity on the climate. “Climate change has always existed, it is a natural phenomenon,” it says in some comments on social media. “The virtuous have to pay for the less virtuous, that’s not fair!” Thundered others, referring to the largest emitters of greenhouse gases like China, a big absentee in Glasgow. “It’s hot, so what? Take off your jackets, ”someone commented with a smile.
Some of us might want to put our hopes in the younger generation who are taking the world leaders by the neck. But not all young men and women are sensitive to the subject. At the table with my nephew, a sixteen-year-old boy attending one of the best classical high schools in Milan, I found myself talking about school strikes.
“Yeah, in my high school they go on strike because of the weather and all that stuff. It’s just an excuse not to go to school, ”he told me. “Yep, just a good group to get out of here!” added the father. I thought that maybe sometimes those who don’t go to school understand the world better than those who do. And being an alternate parent can mean doing society a service. But I kept my mouth shut.
“Ignoring established scientific truths because of uncertainty about the latest findings is like thinking that if you have any doubts about quantum gravity, you can throw yourself off the seventh floor because you might as well fall up rather than down.” writes the scientist Lawrence Kraussexternal link, Author of The physics of climate changeexternal linkto explain the ruthlessness of those who deny or downplay the situation.
Don’t mess with the climate
Not everyone has the luxury of doubting the seriousness of climate change. In the Swiss alpine health resort of Kandersteg, residents have to live with the risk of the nearby Spitzer Stein mountain collapsing.
“The climate crisis, which is the focus of the negotiations at the current conference in Glasgow (COP26), is slowly changing the Swiss Alps. Temperatures are rising, glaciers are retreating and melting permafrost is undermining the stability of mountain slopes, ”writes my colleague Simon Bradley. He was in Kandersteg and spoke to someone who sees the mountains falling on him, piece by piece, day after day. Here gravity is like a sword of Damocles hanging over people’s heads.
What can or should be done about climate change? let us knowexternal link your opinion.
How sustainable is technology
Could technology help curb climate change? Some have believed, for example, focusing on technologies to remove and sequester CO2 from the air. However, some argueexternal link that this solution is too expensive and gives too much to oil and fossil fuel lobbies and offers no incentive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
But are we sure that the technology is always sustainable? I asked a group of experts I spoke to about the future of healthcare and rehabilitation Swiss Robotics Dayexternal link, the day for Swiss research and innovation in robotics, which took place on November 2nd.
The automation industry promises ever more sustainable solutions in terms of the use of materials for production and energy savings. If we assume that robots have an average lifespan of more than ten years and that one day we may be able to use them to treat ourselves at home and thus save the trip to the hospital, the future looks promising.
But if we all have a robot at home, how can we avoid even more waste? That is why science focuses on Recyclables and microbiological fuel cellsexternal link.
Would you like to discover some of the best robotic solutions showcased on Swiss Robotics Day? Do not miss our video compilation!
Do you have any comments, remarks, or questions about the latest science news? let us talk about itexternal link with a (virtual) coffee.
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