Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

  Over two thousand academics across disciplines and from 81 countries have delivered a letter demanding a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to manage a global phase out of coal, oil and gas to governments gathering at tomorrow’s UN General Assembly.  In the open letter, the academics recognize that the burning of coal, oil and gas is the greatest contributor to climate change – responsible for almost 80% of carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial revolution. Furthermore, they note that, “air pollution caused by fossil fuels was responsible for almost 1 in 5 deaths worldwide in 2018”. Despite this, national governments, including the COP26 hosts themselves, plan to expand fossil fuel production at levels that would result in around 120 percent more emissions than what is in keeping with the Paris Agreement target of 1.5ºC of warming. Signatory Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, President of the Club of Rome, said: "The only way we will meet our Paris Agreement goals and ...

  Presenting at the Energy Study Group of the Center for Ecozoic Studies . Discussing the history of sustainable development at the global level from 1992 to date including the Rio Earth Summit, Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, Rio+20 and the preparations for the Glasgow UNFCCC COP

The journey to the Glasgow Climate Summit has and is a challenge because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was moved from November 2020 to November 2021 to enable governments to meet in person.  We now know that it is unlikely  that the Bonn June meeting will happen in person. Will it become a virtual negotiation? I personally think that would not work.  I would hope it could be added on to the meeting in Italy so that most of October would become a prepcom for Glasgow. The advantage of this is member states and stakeholders would be travelling once though perhaps if it merges into Glasgow so it could become a six week combined event. There are a series of meetings and negotiations that will help build momentum and we also hope commitments. Between April and November, the key meetings that will feed into the Glasgow Summit include: April 22 nd US President Biden Heads of State Climate Summit May 17-30 th UN Biodiversity Convention (TBC) June Bonn 31 May – 10 June (T...