Despite all the warnings of an impending climate catastrophe, global greenhouse gas emissions remain at record levels. According to the Global Carbon Budget 2022 research report, presented Friday at the UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt, there is “no sign of slowing down”. On the same day, US President Joe Biden announced that a country would meet its climate goals and help prevent “climate hell.”
At COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Biden warned of global warming threatening the very survival of the country and announced that he would meet his country’s climate protection obligations. The advancing climate crisis is putting “life of the planet” at risk, Biden said before the plenary (see video above). But the United States is on track to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. “We hasten to do our part to avert the climate hell that the UN Secretary General earlier this week so passionately warned.”
Biden apologizes for Trump’s actions
Biden called the war in Ukraine an additional incentive to move away from fossil fuels. “Russia’s war only makes it more urgent to free the world from its dependence on fossil fuels,” Biden said, calling on all states to commit to the goal of limiting global warming to an increase of 1 percent. .5 degree. Biden also apologized for the fact that the United States withdrew from the Paris climate accord before his tenure – under his predecessor Donald Trump.
Before US President Biden appeared, environmentalists demanded that the US government pledge additional financial aid to compensate for climate damage. Powershift Africa director Mohamed Adow said the US, traditionally the largest polluter of the atmosphere, should push such a pot for compensation payments and also provide its own money.
Debate on payments to poorer countries
“We recognize that we need to tackle a challenge in one part of the world – be it through supply chains, migration or otherwise – together,” said Ali Zaidi, Biden’s climate adviser. The US has historically been the largest polluter of the atmosphere. They have one of the highest CO2 emissions per capita, are the largest oil producer and also the largest oil consumer. The damage caused by climate change, on the other hand, mainly affects developing countries in poorer parts of the world. The debate over compensation by rich industrialized countries for losses and damages related to climate change has made little progress for years.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the US, the European Union, Japan and Canada pledged to “drasically” reduce greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas production. Norway, Great Britain and Singapore also participated. In a joint statement, the states announced that in particular the emission of the highly effective greenhouse gas methane is central. Among other things, the routine flaring to date should be reduced; Leaks in the transport and production systems are also detected and sealed. The goal is to reduce global warming by a tenth of a degree by the middle of the century.
Three times more harmful gases than officially reported
Only on Wednesday did a new data report reveal that the extraction and production of oil and gas releases three times more climate-damaging gases than states previously officially reported to the United Nations. This is evident from measurements from the non-profit initiative Trace, in which data analysts, researchers and non-governmental organizations work together. Accordingly, production sites, refineries and Co. responsible for half of the world’s largest sources of climate-damaging greenhouse gases.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
