In the coming weeks, there will be coverage of the global conference on climate change, COP28, taking place between November 30 and December 12. COP stands for Conference of the Parties and COP28 is the 28th annual United Nations conference focused on solutions to address climate change.
Government representatives from around the world will convene in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to discuss and design agreements that they will be held accountable for.
The Paris Agreement, which is a legally binding treaty, was established at COP21 and its goal is to hold the increase in global average temperature to 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels. This agreement has created policies and commercial solutions to meet this target. If this level is surpassed, scientists expect we will face devastating consequences such as hotter heatwaves, more severe droughts and increased rainfall events.
There are a few key reasons why COP is relevant and important.
- Equity. Every country has an equal seat to negotiate.
- Collaboration. Climate change is a global issue and therefore global collaboration is needed to solve it.
- Accountability. Countries must share how they are tracking against their commitments.
- Attention. The conference focuses the conversation on the climate and allows for the sharing of facts and impact stories.
The world will be watching to see what COP28 can deliver. You can learn more here and find links to follow the conversation.