There's a climate conference / COP coming up, and while I care a lot about the climate, I tend to not pay too much attention to COPs.
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There's a climate conference / COP coming up, and while I care a lot about the climate, I tend to not pay too much attention to COPs. And I can tell you, it's a position that's not exactly popular within the climate crowd. (To a point where I'm hesitant posting criticism like this.) I could write that every year, but here are some condensed thoughts:
The main outcome of the COPs is the Paris agreement in 2015, with the goal of limiting global warming to less than 2°C, ideally 1.5°C.
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The problem is that they did not agree on any plausibile plan how to get there.
The plan is essentially "each country voluntarily implements measures (called NDCs), and we hope that it adds up". It never adds up. The UN regularly publishes the "Emissions Gap Report", it adds up all those voluntary actions, and it never comes even close to 2°C, let alone 1.5.
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There really should be one central question adressed at the COPs: "How do we close the emissions gap?" But that's not what they mostly talk about.
Whatever you read or hear about the COP, ask this question: "Does that help to close the emissions gap?"
