COP season is upon us once again, and this year is going to be exciting! This years COP is being nicknamed the “Action-COP” meaning that action must be taken. But first, let me give you some context:
COP28 , 30th of November - 12th of December is this year held in Dubai. This has been a controversial decision because the leader of COP is also the CEO of a state owned oil company with plans to expand. He claims that this makes him very suited to negotiate.
What is this years agenda?
Loss and damage - the distribution of money to help aid vulnerable communities who have suffered loss after climate change must come be agreed upon
Increasing the speed towards a global fund that will help low income countries tackle climate change
Accelerate the speed towards a clean, but just transition in energy
To close the enormous emission gap
To make this years COP the most inclusive COP ever
News this year is also that there will be a “global climate overview”. This will close COP28, and is meant as a process to show which countries who are meeting their set targets and which ones are failing to deliver.
There is also a theme each day:
Day 1: World leaders - this is where high level roundtable conversations will take place and start the initiating conversations following up from previous meetings. There are three main trails of conversations; The climate convention trail, the Kyotoprotocol trail and the Paris agreement trail.
Day 2: Climate action is in the focus - this day, world leaders are still there and will discuss actionable next steps. There will also be a platform where local communities will hold their first ever annual youth round table talk, with focus on indigenous youth and youths from local communities.
Day 3: Health, rebuilding and peace - this is the first day where peace is a talking point. The aim is to come to consensus around the health systems response to climate change.
Day 4: Finance and trade, equality and accountability - this day will focus on closing any precious negotiations. There will be made financial suggestions on how to close the gaps where it is needed the most, and the economical challenges that hinders girls and women.
Day 5: Energy and industry, just transition and indigenous people - this day the focus will be how we can ensure decarbonisation, growth in jobs and economical possibilities and a just transition in the entire energy and industrial sector. It is also the day of ingenious people, where we acknowledge the importance of indigenous knowledge in protecting and manage the planets health.
Day 6: Multilevel negotiations, urbanisation and transportation - this day will promote solutions in all levels of society towards decarbonisation and how to build resistent environments and infrastructures.
Day 7: A day of rest and contemplation
Day 8: Youth, children, education and competence - the hope of this day is to give young people he opportunity to help shape the results of COP28. The day will feature just representations and stronger engagement mechanisms.
Day 9: Nature, use of land and ocean - conservation of nature and sustainable management of nature is essential to reach the targets in the Paris agreement.
Day 10: Food, agriculture and water - climate change is pressuring food and water supplies globally. This day will have safety of food and water as the main focus.
Day 11: Light at the end of the tunnel? There is no thematic days on the last two days of COP.
Day 12: Usually the talks go into the weekend and we must expect that from this years COP as well.
Here is your overview of the next two weeks. I would encourage you to find your passion in this and follow # on social media to see how and where you can get engaged in COP, even though you are not physically present. My hope for this years COP is that we will see action.
source: UN