While the 30th COP on climate will be held next November in Belém, Brazilthe UN is already alarmed by the unprecedented nature of this summit for the good of our planet. This will be one of the most important climate conferences in recent years, with 5 major issues to monitor until then, so as not to dash our hopes of curbing the ongoing climate crisis. Which ones?
Does the Paris Agreement still hold?
First issue: are we going to abandon the initial objective of the Paris Agreement, that is to say limit global warming to +1.5°C? This will be the whole question of COP30, the United Nations climate conference, during which countries will undoubtedly arrive with reinforced and more ambitious commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. But will they be credible?
Second issue: nature protectionwhile this COP30 will be held in the Amazon rainforest region. An important symbolism, while the tropical forest is a gigantic “carbon sink” that stores and absorbs CO2. Negotiations on biodiversity will resume in Rome in February under the auspices of the UN, to fight in particular against illegal logging.
Third issue: financing these measuresa thorny issue in international negotiations, around a clash between rich and developing countries. Should China, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, pay its share? Experts judge that 1300 billion dollars per year are needed to help developing countries move away from fossil fuels.
Towards an agreement on plastic pollution?
The fourth issue will be legal: the International Court of Justice should issue an advisory opinion on the obligations of States regarding climate change in relation to international law. An opinion requested by Vanuatu, a Pacific island state threatened by rising waters. Could this non-binding opinion take us towards international climate law?
Finally, the last issue combines both protection of the planet and public health: it is the fight against plastic pollution. The aim is to reach a binding international agreement in three essential areas: plastic products, sustainable production and consumption, but also financingdespite the political differences mentioned above.
But will everyone be able to put their ego aside? Is a final agreement around the entire life cycle of plastics possible? Here again, hope gives life, but unlike greenhouse gases and fossil fuels, plastic pollution is undoubtedly the only issue for which all countries seem to show good will.
Article reference:
Climate crisis: 5 things to watch in 2025. UN News.
