The conclusion of the 21st Conference of the Parties left people in high spirits after the drafting of the Paris Agreement – the Plan Z for action on climate change. COP21 was largely regarded as a success; however it is down to COP22 held in Marrakech to decide how the Paris Agreement is to be put into action and steered away from becoming the next Kyoto Protocol.
Despite a much quieter build up, COP22 set to be held this November will be the key to moving forward on climate change. The talks will involve discussing practical action on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These NDCs will face updating every 5 years in a 'ratcheting' system to reflect increasing ambitions. It is crucial to the future of a habitable climate that the actions taken as a result of the Paris Agreement form a total reduction in carbon emissions.
In December 2015, the target was set to keep global temperature rise below 2°C. This has been criticized as a tricky target, some researchers have even stated that this is now unachievable due to the amount of warming already 'baked in' to the system. This is no excuse to give up or loosen targets.
One point of focus for Marrakech will be how the NDCs will be monitored. There is a need for a common methodology to ensure transparency and equal standards for all 197 countries involved. This has led to debate as there are some countries that are in less adaptable positions, such as Poland, whilst other countries are already well on their way; Costa Rica recently announced it was successfully running on 100% renewable energy.
The benefit of each country presenting their Intended NDCs at COP21 was their ability to define the extent to which they can reduce their emissions, but some countries have been pushed to increase their ambitions. This was apparent in the EU as the UK pushed for more ambitious targets across the bloc. A question on many minds now is how the impending 'Brexit' will impact the EU's NDCs – will the EU remain as committed to carbon reduction without the pressure from the UK?
To achieve these targets will require the separation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from greenhouse gases. A new approach to economic growth needs to be adopted where low carbon industry and sustainable businesses make up the majority of a healthy economy. The overhaul of current economic structure and lifestyles will need an open exchange of best practices and knowledge between countries to enable genuine success across the globe.
For many, Paris was the pinnacle of global climate action, but for those that read the small print Marrakech will be where the Paris Agreement is set into motion.
Written 19.09.16
