What is the climate summit?

What is the climate summit?

Definition and importance:

Every year, what is known as the Climate Summit, also known as the Conference of Parties, is held in a different city. What is the meaning of the climate summit?

To answer this question, we must realize that the United Nations called on the countries of the world to sign an agreement called at the time: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is the agreement that entered into force in 1994; To combat harmful human interference with the climate and environmental system, and therefore the Conference of the Parties (COP) – the Climate Summit – which is held annually is the highest decision-making body in this agreement.

Since this date, the climate summit has been held every year, unless the parties decide otherwise. Likewise, the presidency of the climate summit will be held in rotation between the regions recognized by the United Nations, which are five regions: Africa – Asia – Latin America – Central and Eastern Europe – Western Europe. To be more clear, we say: Every year, a country assumes the presidency of the climate summit, and is responsible for organizing and managing that year’s meeting. Each COP is usually indicated by a serial number; “COP26”, for example, would be the twenty-sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP).

The tasks of the climate summit are to evaluate and inventory the lists of carbon emissions provided by the countries participating in the agreement. Then, based on this information, the climate summit measures the results of the environmental measures taken by the parties, and determines the degree of progress achieved in achieving the final goal of the agreement. That is: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Who is participating in the climate summit?

Climate Summit participants may include politicians, diplomats, and representatives of national governments, but also fossil fuel lobbyists, who are trying to maintain the trajectory of their industries that rely entirely on coal, oil, and gas.

On the other side, there are environmental protectors, who protect it from everything that threatens it, such as industries that deplete environmental resources, as these industries cut down trees, and other human practices that destroy the environment and its resources. Climate organizations such as Global Witness send representatives; To call for rapid and ambitious action to address the climate crisis.

The most prominent climate peaks:

• Berlin Summit 1995,COP1:

The first climate summit was in Berlin – Germany, and there the participating countries launched the Berlin Framework, which calls for reducing the emissions of developed countries, and also organized the holding of subsequent sessions of climate summits.

• Kyoto Summit 1997,COP3:

The climate summit in Kyoto, a Japanese city, aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It came into force by 2005, until the number of signatories increased to 183 parties in 2008.

This summit was based on the principle of shared responsibilities; That is, it acknowledged that the countries of the world have different preparations in combating climate change. Consequently, the task of reducing emissions fell on the shoulders of developed countries, as they are the main cause – historically – of the current levels of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs).

• Bali Summit 2007,COP13:

There, the summit participants called on the countries of the developed world to provide funding to help transfer technology to developing countries, which are primarily affected by harmful emissions emanating from factories in developed countries. The climate summit in Bali also came with recommendations related to stimulating the private sector to adopt environmental conservation strategies, and that this vital sector must support these strategies with fair and effective financing.

• Paris Summit 2015,COP21:

The importance of the Paris Climate Summit is that it established what was called the Paris Agreement, and this agreement is the first global agreement to limit climate change and reduce the effects ofGlobal warmingat a level less than two degrees.

The world expected the COP21 climate summit to be a turning point in climate action, and it is hoped – so far – that this summit will help: phase out coal, support the economies of poor countries to combat the effects of climate change, and transition to a future free of fossil fuels.

• Bonn Summit 2017,COP23:

The twenty-third climate summit was held in Bonn, Germany, from November 6 to 17, 2017. It was an interesting climate summit, as the conference presidency at that time adopted the “Talanoa” method, which is based on international dialogue through storytelling; To allow parties participating in the climate summit to track progress in achieving the long-term goal called for by the Paris Agreement in 2015.

• Sharm El Sheikh Summit 2022,COP27:

It is the Egyptian Climate Summit, which was held in the city of Sharm El-Sheikh, where it witnessed the most important event in the history of the Conference of the Parties (COP). Because the developed countries agreed at this summit on what is known as the Loss and Damage Fund, which is a fund that provides compensation to developing countries affected by climate change.

At the end of the article, Earth Guards stresses the importance of defining the terms in the fields of environment and development. Therefore, the magazine continues to implement what it promised to enrich the Arabic content with the series (What…?), which deals with these terms in a way that brings them closer to people’s minds, away from dry academic language. Let us achieve together “Egypt Vision 2030”.