By Helena Colpaert (Year 8)“We’re beginning to make some real progress.” - Joe Biden, 2021 Throughout the eight sessions over the span of two days, the US President Biden convened heads of states and governments, as well as leaders and representatives from international organizations, businesses, subnational governments, and indigenous communities to rally the world in tackling the climate crisis, demonstrate the economic opportunities of the future, and affirm the need for unprecedented global cooperation and ambition to meet the moment.
The US has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 50-52% below its 2005 level by 2030. President convened the summit to urge global cooperation on climate change. “We’re beginning to make some real progress.” Biden told leaders during the summit. Thailand was represented at the US Earth Day Summit by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-Archa, who discussed Thailand's vulnerability to climate change and measures it has taken within its agricultural economy. Smaller countries, such as Chile and Norway, are more ambitious. Rwanda is also setting the pace in climate protection. In May, the East African country became the first on the continent to announce that it would tighten its climate targets and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 16% by 2030. Reacting to the Summit, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, said: “The global climate change emergency is a clear, present and growing danger to all people on this planet. It recognizes no borders and while nations may be impacted differently, none are immune. This is a time for leadership, courage and solidarity by global leaders; a time they must make the tough decisions necessary to finally fulfil the promises of the Paris Agreement and move the world away from disaster and towards an unprecedented era of growth, prosperity and hope for all.” The 18-year-old Swedish Climate Activist Greta Thunberg also made an appearance accusing world leaders of stealing her dreams and her childhood by their inaction on climate change, she opened her speech to the General Assembly with an impassioned introduction, which was widely covered by the media. "This is all wrong.” The leaders listened in awe to her speech. The Summit, hosted by U.S. President Biden, which brought together more than 40 nations representing 80% of global emissions, is an encouraging and positive step in the right direction. We congratulate the commitments shown by several nations at the summit! This of course is great growth but not enough. We also have to work together, not leave it to the big guys to finish the job. If you would like to learn more about the summit and see what promises were made, please make time to explore more using the links below: Living Reporting of the Summit- BBC Biden’s climate summit zeroes in on technology to help fight global warming- Reuters FACT SHEET: President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate- The White House
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |