An Update from the UN

It has been a robust time in Glasgow.  So many conferences and line ups of presentations.

Here is a playlist of several videos to help fill in the gap of knowledge around the various topics surfaced at the UN Glasgow conference so far.

Our Lay Dominican brother Duncan McLaren has represented the Dominicans at the Conferences as best he can, considering the numerous offerings during the COP26 event.

Here are a few pictures that he has sent to us during COP26 that is still in progress until November 12th.

Click here for additional photos.

I’m sure you have been following bits and pieces of COP26. I believe one of the most startling needs is $100 billion dollars a year to change the climate. The terms Climate Mitigation and Climate Adaptation are the buzz words at COP26.

But what does mitigation and adaptation really mean?

Climate change mitigation means avoiding and reducing emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to prevent the planet from warming to more extreme temperatures. 

Adaptation is about uniting and supporting people who are most vulnerable to the impacts of the changing climate. More action is needed to avert, minimize and address the loss and damage that is already occurring from climate change. Plans and more finance need to be put in place to improve early warning systems, flood defenses, and build resilient infrastructure and agriculture to avoid further loss of life, livelihoods and natural habitats.

All countries should produce an ‘Adaptation Communication’, which is a summary of what they are doing and planning to do to adapt to the impacts of the changing climate, challenges they face and where they need help. These plans will help us learn together and share best practice between countries.

An example of one country looking at how to adapt is the UK.  It has co-developed the Adaptation Action Coalition, in partnership with Egypt, Bangladesh, Malawi, the Netherlands, Saint Lucia and the United Nations Development Program. The coalition is bringing countries together to find solutions to some of the most challenging impacts of climate change.

The more we reduce emissions right now, the easier it will be to adapt to the changes we can no longer avoid.

New threats that should unite us, they face us all. Rising temperatures, changes in patterns of weather can turn forests into deserts, drown great cities, and animals we share

It is too late to avoid climate change. But we can adapt. And we must adapt to survive.

We are no longer separate nations we are a single global species whose threats are shared. We need a global response and now.

In addition, we need a $100 billion a year pledge for the Green Climate Fund. But pulling our ambition and action will require a concerted reform effort at the multilateral level to ensure adequate funding for developing countries to adapt to the worsening impacts of ever-increasing climate change. Climate change has no borders, so our strategy to adapt to it must be globally coordinated.”

Will we choose to adapt and join others?  No country can do this alone. We live in a global world not separate countries that will thrive on their own. Let’s thrive together.