COP27 Might Undo The PARIS AGREEMENT, Here’s A Summary Of WEEK 2
COP27 has hit its halfway point and the big issue this week was keeping the target of limiting global warming to under 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Many oil and gas exporting nations want to change the language around this limit, agreed upon in the 2015 Paris Agreement, to reflect that it is a preference and optimal goal rather than a definite ‘must’. Scientists believe we would need to half our current emissions by 2030, or else we will reach the temperature increase within 10 years.
The difference between 1.5°C and 2°C is that issues like the increased loss of biodiversity, melting ice-caps, rising sea levels and increased frequency and intensity of weather disasters would quickly worsen.
The US and China, who are the biggest polluters historically and the biggest emitters today, are due to enter discussions this week, which should result in a proper conclusion on this target.