Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport (MCST)’s Post

🌍 New UK Climate Target: A Bold Step Forward 🌍 At the UN COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan, Sir Keir Starmer announced a new, ambitious goal for the UK: cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 81% by 2035, in line with recommendations from the Climate Change Committee. This pledge, part of the UK's nationally determined contribution (NDC), is a signal of the UK's commitment to global climate leadership. Key highlights from Starmer's speech: 🔋 Clean Power by 2030 – Starmer aims to deliver a zero-carbon power grid five years ahead of the CCC's recommendation, focusing on job creation and economic growth. 🌱 No Lifestyle Mandates – While achieving these goals, Starmer emphasized the importance of respecting individual choices and avoiding direct lifestyle interventions. 🌐 Call for Global Cooperation – Acknowledging the urgency of the climate crisis, he urged nations to come forward with ambitious targets, underscoring the need for responsible international cooperation. While this target has been welcomed by climate advocates, it also demands credible delivery plans to ensure tangible action. As Starmer highlighted, this is not just a race against time but a race towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. What are your thoughts on the UK’s new target? How can businesses step up to support this transition? 🤔 https://lnkd.in/eDrtzztv #ClimateAction #NetZero #COP29 #Sustainability

G20 countries turning backs on fossil fuel pledge, say campaigners Promise to ‘transition away from fossil fuels’ made at Cop28 climate talks has been left out of draft resolutions Leaked documents seen by the Guardian show that in the latest draft of paragraph 5 of the communique, where the commitment appeared in the first draft, there is no repetition of the reference to “transition away”. Instead, there is an oblique reference to the pledge, through a reference to “the goals set forth” in the Cop28 outcome, which include the commitment to transition away. Read on at https://lnkd.in/eHMXdSYp

🌍 Experts including former UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres, and former president of Ireland Mary Robinson are calling for an overhaul of the UN's COP climate talks. They claim the format is "no longer fit for purpose." 🚫 📝 In a letter to the UN, these key figures proposed that countries which don't support transitioning away from fossil fuels shouldn't host the talks. ❗ The recent COP29 conference in Azerbaijan came under scrutiny when its president defended natural gas as a “gift from God,” and a senior official reportedly used his role in the conference to discuss potential fossil fuel agreements. 🐢 Despite strides like the Paris climate agreement and the commitment to transition from fossil fuels, the slow-moving COP process is insufficient to tackle the swift climate changes we're facing, they claim. "Its current structure simply cannot deliver the change at exponential speed and scale, which is essential to ensure a safe climate landing for humanity," they added. 📣 Concerns were expressed about decisions being made by large emission countries in forums such as the G20, risking that smaller states might be overshadowed and excluded from important climate discussions. 🏭 There were also concerns about the countries chosen to host the COP talks - the hosts should demonstrate their “high level of ambition to uphold the goals of the Paris agreement," according to the experts' open letter. 🔎 #ClimateChange #COP #UN #FossilFuelPhaseOut #ParisAgreement #COP29 https://lnkd.in/eZFX64XA

🌍 Is COP still fit for the fast-moving nature of the climate crisis?   Earlier this week, COP29 kicked off in Azerbaijan, with a critical focus on climate finance. Yet, the first week has been anything but smooth.   The summit has already been marred by tension, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer being one of the few G7 leaders in attendance, and the Green Party's call to reform COP by excluding fossil fuel companies and their lobbyists.   Adding to the controversy, host Azerbaijan’s president called natural gas a “gift from God” and defended its market presence.   In previous years, COPs have achieved landmark agreements, from the 2015 Paris Agreement to nations more recently committing to tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030. However, this year’s summit leaves many questioning the process. With reports from the Guardian that 1,773 fossil fuel lobbyists have been granted access to the talks in Baku, serious concerns over conflicts of interest have arisen.   Experts are now calling for urgent reform.   In a letter to the UN, leaders such as former UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon and former Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Christiana Figueres advocate that COP hosts must support the phase-out of fossil fuels.   As COP29 heads into its second week, the question remains as to what meaningful action will emerge from this crucial summit.    Importantly, we also need to see a formal response from the UN to calls for reform, a reaction that will need to be strong enough to rejuvenate internal leaders faith in the process after a year of such controversy   Read more about the calls for reform here ⬇ https://lnkd.in/e6mBvCvJ

🔎 Financing, attendance, lobbyists... Catch up with what happened at COP29 this week. 1️⃣ COP29 kicks off: The United Nations' annual climate conference began on 11 November in Baku, Azerbaijan with a focus on funding for developing nations. "The actual negotiations in Baku will make this one of the most important, and fiercely contested, UN summits to date," writes Simon Mundy, moral money editor with the Financial Times. https://lnkd.in/eErfGb3U 2️⃣ Poor attendance: COP29 has been marred by a string of high-profile no-shows, including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and outgoing US president Joe Biden. "Their absence will surely shift the dynamics of COP29, potentially altering discussions on essential issues like climate finance, emission reduction commitments and global climate resilience initiatives," says energy expert Dante Powell. https://lnkd.in/e4ShVgYM 3️⃣ Fossil fuel transition: This year is on track to set the record for global carbon emissions, with a rise of 0.8% expected. "It is really high time to focus on phasing out fossil fuels instead of struggling with pointless bureaucratic monsters for forest and land management," writes Kasimir P. Nemestothy, the head of energy economics and energy policy at the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture. https://lnkd.in/ek6dFidq 4️⃣ Global heating to increase: The planet is on course for a temperature rise of 2.7C above the pre-industrial average by the end of the century if current policies remain. "Key challenges remain: Fossil fuel subsidies are at an all-time high, and funding for fossil fuel-prolonging projects quadrupled between 2021 and 2022," says Frederic Hans, senior climate policy advisor at Climate Action Tracker, which carried out the analysis.  https://lnkd.in/ev4YRPFY 5️⃣ COP is 'not fit for purpose': A group of high-profile climate voices has said the conference should only be hosted by countries which have shown support for climate action and have restricted fossil fuel lobbying. "During COP1, global temperatures were only 0.4°C above pre-industrial levels," writes Muhammad Urs, founder of a climate action group. "Today, they’ve soared, underscoring the urgent need for real action over prolonged negotiations". https://lnkd.in/e6Mb9iEe Follow COP29 news on LinkedIn ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e2j9eupJ 🎙️ What do you think leaders should focus on at COP? Share your thoughts in the comments or a post using the following hashtags: #LinkedInNewsEurope #COP29 #GreenerTogether

What's next for climate science and activism, given that COP has been Co-OPted and made into a fossil fuel executives' joke of a playground? It's a kind of giant middle-finger to the planet and future generations, starting even before Sultan Al-Jaber was chosen to preside over #COP28, but the grotesque red carpeting of fossil energy at #COP29 unfolding in Azerbaijan shows these "talks" and "negotiations" have become a theater for wealth concentration, with no attempt to hide it (a la Exxon lying about the science and predictions of climate change for decades). Civility has failed, national-level targets aren't being met, and the response is a shoulder-shrug. I keep thinking about Daniel Quinn's "Ishmael" and the poignant analogy of building a different civilization-craft, rather than peddling harder on this one in hopes it will someday fly. Is mass direct action and disobedience possible? Necessary?

The United Nations Climate Change Conference requires “urgent reform”, according to a letter signed by 22 international sustainability leaders. Signatories include Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary General of the United Nations, and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN Special Envoy on Climate Change. This week, the conference has seen its CEO discussing fossil fuel investments, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev calling oil and gas a "gift of God" and at least 1,773 fossil fuel lobbyists through its doors. The letter says: “Its current structure simply cannot deliver the change at exponential speed and scale, which is essential to ensure a safe climate landing for humanity. “This is what compels our call for a fundamental overhaul of the COP. “We need strict eligibility criteria to exclude countries who do not support the phase out/transition away from fossil energy. Host countries must demonstrate their high level of ambition to uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement.” #COP29 #Sustainability #ClimateChange

Time to Rethink Climate Summits? The COP29 in Baku has ignited important conversations, not just about climate finance and emission cuts, but also about where and how we hold these summits. Despite 28 COPs to date, we’re still seeing rapid climate change. During COP1, global temperatures were only 0.4°C above pre-industrial levels. Today, they’ve soared, underscoring the urgent need for real action over prolonged negotiations. Leading voices like Ban Ki-moon and Mary Robinson are now questioning the effectiveness of the current COP structure. They’re calling for stricter criteria for host countries and a shift from negotiation to focused implementation. With fossil fuel lobbyists often outnumbering vulnerable communities, we need a fairer, more inclusive process. This is about climate justice, fiscal accountability, and ensuring that those most affected by climate change have a real voice. What are your thoughts? Is it time to evolve COP to make a real impact? #COP29 #ClimateChange #Sustainability #ClimateAction #GreenFinance https://lnkd.in/dBNA8ugv

Just a media report for now, but if true its very encouraging to see the #UK looking to regain leadership on #climatechange through the publication of an ambitious (and early) #NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution). Working with We Mean Business Coalition and WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development, at Nestlé we are looking for ways to encourage more of this from governments around the world. Clear and ambitious national plans can encourage business investment in climate solutions as countries and companies seek to drive down #emissions by 2035 and beyond. Andrew Prag Lewis Hill #COP29

Internal correspondence obtained by The Narwhal shows a group of Canadian oilsands companies proposed to Environment and Climate Change Canada that it host a special event at the UN climate summit in 2022 “to begin to change the international narrative of [the] oilsands.” The companies told the government one of their “desired outcomes” of the event at the Canada Pavilion at COP27 was an “improved perception of the oilsands among international audiences.” Their “first choice” of when to hold the event was during a day of the summit devoted to the theme of “decarbonization.” The public description of the oilsands lobby’s 2022 event made no mention of its intent to boost its reputation. Around the time of the event, dozens of civil society organizations called on Minister Guilbeault to reverse course, arguing the industry was greenwashing. Guilbeault defended the influx of oil lobbyists, saying they “can have their voices heard just like everyone else.” Just days after the event, however, the government launched consultations that would eventually lead to new anti-greenwashing provisions that were criticized by the industry as effectively silencing them. The oilsands lobby’s application to host the event followed a series of emails to senior Canadian public servants saying they were “very interested in being part of the Canadian business delegation to COP27.” They added they thought Canada “may be looking for speakers or other programming” for the pavilion in Egypt “and I’m sure Pathways would be very interested in helping there as well.” Environment Canada says the Canada Pavilion at COP27 "provided a venue for Canada to convene key partners and stakeholders to advance global actions on climate change through the lenses of ambition, partnership and implementation.” The UN’s preliminary list of delegates to the climate summit happening now, COP29, shows two Pathways Alliance officials registered to attend, as well as representatives from most of the group’s member companies. The department said it would not release the list of delegates until after the conference was over. https://lnkd.in/eJzyV5Nf