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Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

19/12/23 06:52 AM IST

COP-28 mean for cities

In News
  • The 28th Conference of Parties (COP-28) in Dubai has been described by some as being a mixed bag.
COP-28 for cities
  • When the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) initiated the COP in 1995, 44% of people lived in cities.
  • Currently, 55% of the global population is urban and this is expected to reach 68% by 2050.
  • The urban world today consumes nearly 75% of primary energy and is responsible for roughly 70% of CO2 (76% of total GHG) emissions.
  • Hence, the desired results of the Paris commitments are not possible without addressing urban issues.
  • At this year’s COP, there was a special day dedicated to a ministerial meeting on urbanisation and climate change.
  • City representatives have been arguing for multi-level green deal governance and for revising the governance and regulation of energy and climate action. Likewise, some European city groups have been staunchly advocating for direct actions in cities.
  • COP-28, argued for formally recognising the role of subnational governments in global climate change negotiations, accelerating and scaling up climate action by working across all levels of governance and sectors, and providing direct financing and technical assistance to cities and regions.
  • The cities and regions are key actors in driving climate ambition forward and in creating green jobs, reducing air pollution, and improving human health and well-being.
  • The efforts of city governments should be formally recognised in COP decision documents.
Global South
  • The cities of the Global South are far more vulnerable than their western counterparts.
  • The city leaders are hardly empowered, the major employment is in the informal sector, adaptation is key as most cities are vulnerable to climate induced disasters and the pent up drive to attract investments to cities has further widened the gap between the rich and the poor.
  • In most countries, and in India particularly, 40% of the urban population live in slums.
  • Pollution is a major contributor in reducing life expectancies and social and economic inequities are quite inherent in their systems.
  • So, to ensure fair participation in climate action plans and to claim loss and damage compensation, etc., there has to be a radical shift in the processes governing the cities.
  • One of the ways of achieving progress, even if that is too little, can be through creating a climate atlas of these cities, mapping them and identifying hotspots.
  • Here, a major support system from existing financial architecture including the outcome of COPs is required.
Source- The Hindu

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