Baku (Azerbaijan), November 20: It has been emphasized that the temperature increase should be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius by cutting carbon emissions, saying that if the global temperature increase is not stopped, a terrible situation of climate disaster will be created.
The representatives of least developed countries present at the 29th conference (COP-29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Baku, Azerbaijan, emphasized that the countries that produce more carbon emissions should reduce their emissions.
The Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is lobbying in Baku with the demands of industrialized countries, which play a major role in carbon emissions, to emphasize the use of renewable energy to reduce emissions, not to use mineral fuels or to reduce them. Fuel producing countries do not want to come to an agreement saying that if they do not use mineral fuel, their country’s economy will collapse.
The Paris Agreement of COP-21 in France also emphasized that everyone should make their National Determined Contribution (NDC) and implement it in order to keep the global temperature increase at 1.5 degrees Celsius. The ongoing anger in Baku has emphasized the need to implement the Paris Agreement and protect the earth from the climate crisis.
The representatives of the least developed countries present at the conference are worried that the developed and industrialized countries will not be strong enough to maintain the temperature increase of 1.5 degrees by reducing the carbon emissions. Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharel, Secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment of Nepal, said that if the global temperature rise is not maintained at 1.5 degrees Celsius, the least developed countries like Nepal will be hit by climate crisis, saying that the representatives of the countries including Nepal have been constantly lobbying to limit the temperature rise.
“The main factor causing global warming is carbon emissions. “We have been saying in the past campaigns that the goal of reducing it and its effective implementation should be implemented,” he said. Nepal submitted the second National Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2020. Quantitative and policy reduction targets as well as adaptation priorities were also determined in the NDC. According to the long-term net zero emission strategy approved by Nepal in October 2021, it aims to achieve net zero emission sustainably by reducing emissions by 2045.
Dr. Sindhu Prasad Dhungana, Head of the Climate Management Division under the Ministry of Forestry and Environment, said that least developed countries like Nepal need climate finance for the implementation of NDC, and stressed that the developed countries should commit to increase the size of climate finance in the conference held in Baku.
“Now, by reducing carbon emissions, the increase in the temperature of the earth should be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, Nepal is ready to fulfill this commitment. We are advocating that even the countries that produce more carbon emissions should increase their moral responsibility and implement emission reduction policies”, Dr. Dhungana, head of the Climate Management Division said, “A long-term strategy for building a carbon-neutral, inclusive and uplifting society is to create ambitious policies, social reforms, and transform the energy system. Our goal is to do. In order to implement this, countries with climate finance and technology should provide us with the necessary climate finance. We have been saying that we are raising issues that our internal capabilities do not threaten.” He says that there is also the same suspicion that industrialized countries will reluctance to postpone the 30th World Cup to be held in Brazil next year.
“For the fear of a decline in the economy of their country, the present representatives are wondering if there will be no agreement on the agenda of the least developed countries regarding carbon emission reduction”, said Dr. Dhungana, head of the Climate Management Division, “The trend is constantly moving forward, the squeeze is yet to come.”
Climatologist Manjit Dhakal, who has been advocating for the benefit of Nepal for a long time by participating in the negotiations, also informed that lobbying is continuing on the ‘agenda’ of reducing carbon emissions and maintaining the temperature rise at 1.3 to 1.5 degrees Celsius and increasing the size of climate finance. “We cannot say whether these agendas will be implemented or not, we have to wait until the last day of the coup”, he said, “We are constantly emphasizing for implementation.”
Maintain temperature
If the temperature rise is not limited, the mountains are in crisis. Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, joint secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment, said that the increase in temperature should not be limited to prevent the instability of the mountains, and he said that he is advocating to protect the mountains by stopping the temperature increase. “As the Himalayas are an area with a weak geological condition and a high risk of climate, the global temperature rise should be limited to protect it”, he said, “Due to the effects of climate change, the inhabitants of the Himalayan region have started migrating, which has started to disappear in the culture of the Himalayan region. In such a situation, integrated and comprehensive projects should be conducted with the help of developed and high carbon emission countries. Countries that have achieved economic prosperity like India and China should invest in reducing carbon emissions.
New Asian Development Bank (ADB) research has shown that the impact of climate change could reduce the gross domestic product (GDP) in developing Asia and the Pacific region by 17 percent by 2070. According to a study by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ISMOD), the impact of climate change on the Hindu Kush Himalayan region is three times higher than the world average. According to Isimod, in the decade from 2011 to 2020, glacier melting is 65 percent higher than before.
According to the response strategy for climate management in Nepal – 2080, climatic and water-related disasters have caused serious damage to life, wealth and property. It is mentioned in the strategy that if the rate of melting of snow increases due to the increase in atmospheric temperature, a new snow lake will be formed. “Compared to other regions, the temperature in the Himalayan region is projected to rise by at least 0.3 to 0.7 degrees Celsius,” the strategy said.
If temperature rise is not limited, the world economy will collapse: Guterres
Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, said that the world has reached the stage of climate change crisis. Addressing the meeting of the Group of 20 major economies of the world (G-20), he emphasized that everyone should work together to implement the goal of limiting the temperature.
According to Secretary General Guterres, current policies will increase the temperature above three degrees. “It means destruction. To get us to the 1.5 degree target, countries need to accelerate their near-term emissions reductions. In this decade, we should be able to reduce global emissions by nine percent every year”, he said. “Currently, emissions are increasing day by day. So we have to use renewable energy from fossil fuels.”
General Secretary Guterres suggests that these countries should come to the forefront in reducing emissions, saying that G-20 has taken responsibility for 80 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. According to him, by the year 2030, renewable energy capacity should be tripled, energy efficiency should be doubled, forest destruction should be stopped. He emphasized that developed countries should support emerging and developing economies.
G-20 is a group of 20 major economies of the world. G-20 is also discussing the issue of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.3 to 1.5 degrees Celsius by reducing carbon emissions. G20 provides a platform for cooperation and policy coordination on global economic stability, trade, economic development, etc. This group includes 19 countries with the largest economies in the world and the European Union.
