25% of agricultural land provides food for 70% of the world’s population.
Cop28 increases and stimulates commitments to support climate action that total more than $85 billion.
99% of the planet’s population breathes air that exceeds the limits of air quality.
Climate risks threaten 3.6 billion people, and fossil fuels contribute 80% of global energy production.
One billion climate refugees by 2050, and “Covid-19” will reduce carbon emissions by 5.5%.
7 countries account for 50%, and the G20 sources 75% of emissions.
China is first in the world in terms of carbon emissions, and America is the largest in history.
Brazil is the largest emitter of agricultural emissions, and 16 crops account for 86% of global food production.
Livestock, natural gas, and landfills, the 3 largest sources of methane in the world.
Doubts about climate solutions including seed diversity, carbon sinks and biofuels.
30% of the waste burned in landfills is toxic ash and 70% is air pollutants.
Excluding military emissions from Kyoto and Paris under the slogan of national security
Deforestation destroys 12 million hectares of land annually.
The participation of defence ministries in COP conferences strengthens the global climate response.
The absence of reliable data undermines countries’ commitments to address climate repercussions.
File prepared by:-
Ahmed Abdel Samie
Ahmed Abdel Samie
Between a reality that the United Nations, through its Secretary-General António Guterres, described as “the gates of hell” and entering an “age of boiling,” and between pledges that people hope to implement, the humanitarian response to its historic crime of attacking the climate is wavering, which constitutes a global security threat whose repercussions and effects can go beyond. What traditional wars between countries may produce is a threat to the entire existence.
The United Nations shouted during 2023, saying: Stop shooting the planet… Move in a just energy transition away from polluting economies to local, healthy and participatory economies. Environmental justice means the right of everyone to protection and self-determination… We must protect ecosystems and achieve zero carbon.”
Universities and studies called for people to stay away from false solutions…and beware of geoengineering, as wrong experiments will result in horrific consequences, pointing out that providing energy on demand is the greatest challenge of renewable energy (wind and solar energy), and explaining that the process of countries assuming international obligations to address their emissions is impossible in the absence of Reliable data.
The United Nations said on its website: https://www.undp.org/ar/arab-states/blog/qamws-hwl-mstlhat-almnakh-dlyl-ywmy-ltghyr-almnakh, climate change has led to a rise in the temperature of the atmosphere and oceans. And the Earth, which has a serious impact on health and the balance of ecosystems and causes more extreme weather events, such as severe and frequent hurricanes, floods, heat waves, drought, sea level rise, coastal erosion and melting glaciers.
UN data showed that indigenous peoples (the Amazon region) provide food for more than 70% of the world’s population and use less than 25% of agricultural land, as indigenous peoples’ lifestyles are inherently low-carbon and emphasize the balance between humans and the natural world, and indigenous peoples protect an estimated About 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity.
The “Emissions Gap” report confirmed that the window of opportunity is about to close, noting that the world is not on the right track to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, and global temperatures could reach 2.8 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, calling on the world to reduce emissions by 45% to avoid a A global catastrophe.” The report is available at https://www.unep.org/ar/resources/tqryr-fjwt-alanbathat-lam-2022.
The report stated that in 2020, seven countries issued about 50% of greenhouse gas emissions, while the G20 exported 75% of greenhouse gases, and the list of seven countries included (China, the United States of America, India, the European Union, Indonesia, the Russian Federation, and Brazil), while The G20 list includes (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the European Union).
“cop28” conference
In the first half of this December, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) announced the collection and stimulation of pledges exceeding $85 billion to finance climate action, and to significantly reduce emissions other than carbon dioxide, including in particular methane emissions, at the global level around the world by 2030.
The United Nations said: “COP28” represented a defining moment to correct humanity’s path regarding its climate crime of attacking nature, as the conference was held in the hottest year ever in history, which witnessed the effects of the climate crisis in causing unprecedented destruction in human lives and livelihoods in all countries around the world.
The interim report on the state of the global climate for the year 2023 issued on November 30, 2030 by the World Meteorological Organisation, and available at https://news.un.org/ar/interview/2023/11/1126542, stated that the year 2023 witnessed record breaking. With regard to global temperature, sea level rise, and the accompanying extreme weather, it has left a trail of devastation and despair.
“COP28” hosted more than 140 heads of state and senior government leaders, more than 80,000 delegates and more than 5,000 media professionals.
Negotiators and officials described the “COP28” Conference of the Parties as “restoring the opportunity to confront climate challenges,” as “COP28” achieved the response to the global goal of avoiding the planet’s temperature exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050, as the government ministers of 197 countries in addition to the European Union unanimously approved the agreement called the “UAE Consensus” stipulates the gradual abandonment of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas).
The climate action report published on the United Nations website https://www.un.org/hi/node/171798 said: Fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are the largest contributor to global climate change, as they represent more than 75% of greenhouse gas emissions. Global greenhouse affects about 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions.
Leaders Summit
At the summit meeting of heads of state during the opening of “COP28”, the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, announced the establishment of a $30 billion fund for climate solutions worldwide. The fund aims to stimulate the collection and investment of $250 billion by 2030.
For her part, US Vice-President Kamala Harris announced, during her participation in “COP28”, that the United States pledges to provide three billion US dollars to the Green Climate Fund – the largest international fund dedicated to supporting climate action in developing countries and has received pledges exceeding $20 billion.
In turn, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, expressed on the closing day of “COP28” his satisfaction with the results of “COP28” and his emphasis on the need to shift away from fossil fuels after many years in which discussion of this issue was prohibited, stressing that the time has come to achieve a breakthrough in Financing, including adaptation to losses and damages and reform of the international financial architecture.”
Guterres noted that he is working with the Government of Brazil in its capacity as G20 Chair to help advance these important reforms, noting that this effort will also be a major focus of the Future Summit in September 2024.
In turn, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, whose country hosted “COP27” last year, said that our responsibility as leaders gathered at “COP28” is to confirm the clear message that we are committed, and even ambitious, in our measures and in implementing them in accordance with what we agreed upon in Paris, whether related to By responding to scientific recommendations or adhering to responsibilities and pledges, according to the capabilities of each country and the extent of its historical and current responsibilities.”
“COP28” launched about 200 declarations and pledges from parties in various climate fields, and many initiatives from organizations specialized in climate change, in addition to adding new issues, including: health and relief, finance and trade, energy and industry, just transition and indigenous peoples, youth and children, nature and climate change; land and oceans, food, agriculture and water.
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, President of the Conference of the Parties (COP28), said at the conclusion of the conference: “With an unprecedented signal to transition away from all types of fossil fuels, the UAE agreement achieves a qualitative shift that has the potential to redefine our economies.”
Al-Jaber added: “We presented a solid action plan to preserve the possibility of avoiding achieving the 1.5-degree Celsius target, based on scientific facts. This action plan is balanced, contributes to reducing emissions, addressing the gaps in the issue of adaptation, and developing and reformulating global climate financing mechanisms. fulfilling the requirements for dealing with losses and damages.”
Direct view
On the sidelines of the “COP28” activities held in Dubai from November 30 to December 13, 2023, The Egyptian Gazette met with a number of country officials, climate specialists, and civil society organizations to find out an aspect of official and societal interaction with climate challenges.
During COP28, African civil society revealed five main priorities to combat climate change: adaptation, losses and damages, food and land use systems, and forest protection and restoration, according to SekouSarr, executive secretary of the NGO Enda Third World, which represents a group of non-governmental organisations.
These NGOs came together under a common platform, launched during COP28, the African Development Bank Group and Civil Society Alliance for Climate and Energy. Africa is the continent that suffers most from the effects of climate change, is the most affected and has the least access to climate finance.
For his part, Nizar Thamedi, Minister of Environment in Iraq, said that his country is one of the countries most affected by climate change, which has manifested itself in desertification, water scarcity and high temperature, noting that Iraq is at the forefront of the most fragile countries in facing the effects of climate change and that plans focus on using Renewable energies, reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, sustaining energy efficiency, and achieving sustainable development goals.
For his part, Dr. Mahmoud Fathallah, Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of the Pavilion of the League of Arab States at “COP28”, pointed out that desertification, drought and food security are among the most prominent challenges resulting from climate change in the Arab region.
The Arab Economic Report 2022 showed that the Arab countries suffer from the phenomenon of desertification, as the total desertified areas reached about 9 million km2, representing about 68% of the area of these countries, and most of this area is concentrated in the Maghreb region at a rate of 53.4%, and the area of lands threatened by desertification is estimated About 3.6 million km.
For its part, the Arab Center for Studies of Dry Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), during “COP28,” presented many distinguished climate solutions with the results of field applications for all Arab environments, environmental resources, and dealing with water scarcity, according to Dr.AyhamHomsi, Director of the Center’s Economics and Planning Department.
Dr. Mohammed bin Falah Al-Rashidi, Minister Plenipotentiary, Director of the GCC Pavilion at “COP28” stated: The GCC countries are working to achieve zero neutrality and integrate international cooperation.
Renewable energy and increasing its percentage through flexible strategic plans to adopt developed and effective renewable energy technologies in several sectors, most notably electricity generation from solar and wind energy, green buildings, and the circular economy.
In the same context, Dr. Al-Taher Al-Baour, Minister-in-Charge at the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and head of his country’s delegation at “COP28,” referred to the climate damage to which his country was exposed, the most recent of which was Hurricane “Daniel,” which struck Libya last September and resulted in heavy losses in lives and property, pointing out that During the year 2022, his country was able to complete its plan to produce all of its electricity needs by relying on natural gas instead of liquid fuel “diesel or crude oil” to produce electrical energy, which contributes to reducing carbon pollution.
Health threat
The World Health Organisation, contained in the Climate Action Report published on the website: https://www.un.org/ar/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy, revealed that 99% of the planet’s population breathes air that exceeds the maximum limits of air quality, This air threatens their health, and more than 13 million deaths in the world every year are due to avoidable environmental causes, especially air pollution.
Organisation data indicate that two billion people lack access to safe drinking water and that 600 million people suffer from foodborne diseases annually, and the percentage of children under the age of five who die from foodborne diseases is 30%.
The organisation said that the climate crisis threatens to undermine the progress made over the past fifty years in the areas of development, global health and poverty reduction, noting that health pressures are already pushing nearly 100 million individuals into poverty every year.
Carbon emissions
Global carbon dioxide emissions increased by more than 60% during the period from 1940-2023, and emissions are expected to rise in 2023 to reach a record level of 37.55 giga tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to a report by “Statista” – the German company specialising in consumer data. – Available via the link: https://www-statista-com.translate.goog/statistics/1356760/global-methane-emissions-by-leading-country/?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=ar&_x_tr_hl=ar&_x_tr_pto=wapp.
The report pointed out that the Covid-19 virus caused global carbon dioxide emissions to decrease by about 5.5% in 2020 as a result of closures and other restrictions, and the global recession in 2009 led to a decrease in carbon dioxide levels by 2%.
He explained that coal-generated electricity is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, emitting approximately 8 gigatons of carbon dioxide annually, and China is the largest producer of coal-generated electricity ever and is therefore responsible for a huge share of emissions.
Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming and climate change. They are gases emitted by human activity: carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxides, as well as fluorinated gases found in specific refrigeration equipment and water vapour, according to the Dictionary of Climate Terms of the United Nations.
The “Statista” report indicated that the increasing burning of coal in China during recent decades led to it becoming the largest source of emissions in the world after surpassing the United States in the first decade of the 21st century. However, the United States of America is the largest source of emissions in history in terms of Cumulative emissions of more than 500 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuels and land use since climate data began to be recorded in 1850.
The report said: The agriculture sector represents 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually and is the largest human source of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, two powerful greenhouse gases. Livestock account for 7% of greenhouse gas emissions, and livestock emissions come mainly from enteric fermentation, which is part of the digestive process in ruminants such as cattle that produce a large amount of methane.
It is also estimated that agricultural production is responsible for 40% of global food system emissions, which some estimate at about 18 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, and the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions associated with agriculture comes from Asia, where about 4 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent are produced. Carbon dioxide is released every year on farmland, and much of these emissions are produced in China and India, which are the two biggest polluters in the sector when looking only at agriculture and when taking land use into account as well.
Brazil is also classified as the largest source of agricultural emissions worldwide, as a result of the deforestation of the Amazon region to grow soybeans and land for grazing livestock. When forests are removed, the carbon that was stored in the trees is released back into the atmosphere.
Realistic solutions
For his part, Dr. Abdel Fattah Badr, a professor at the Faculty of Science, Helwan University in Egypt, said: We need realistic solutions to grow plants that suit climate change and take advantage of the reclaimed lands in which the Egyptian state is expanding to grow unconventional crops that are compatible with conditions of salinity and drought.
In the same context, Dr. Mahmoud Abdel Aziz Al-Tuni, Professor of Economics at Helwan University, stated that climate change affects food production around the world, as it has led to a 15% decrease in the production of major agricultural crops such as wheat, rice, and corn due to rising sea levels, which has subsequently affected Food prices rise around the world.
For her part, Dr. Amira Darwish, Professor of Food Science at the College of Industry and Energy Technology at Borg El Arab Technological University, stressed the necessity of working to innovate new solutions to the problem of food security in the world, in a way that guarantees future generations a bright and sustainable future.
Darwish stressed the importance of replacing animal protein with a lower carbon footprint and reducing land and water consumption, noting that climate change and food insecurity are increasing in severity globally, which poses a threat to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.
Climate refugees
Climate changes have led to worsening disasters, the least of which is the internal displacement of about 32.6 million people in 2022, according to the global report issued by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre.
Expect a report on the Ozone website https://ozoneeg.net/2023/11/12/%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%a6-%d9%85%d9%86%d8%a7 %d8%ae%d9%8a/ To reach one billion climate refugees by 2050, due to floods, storms, droughts, forest fires, etc.
The climate is an indirect cause of many internal conflicts, along with other factors. The most prominent examples are the civil war due to drought and Darfur in the 1980s due to the drought that led to the displacement of the population to the Jebel Marra region, which is inhabited by farmers belonging to the African Fur tribes, which caused confrontations, disputes and conflicts between… Both sides and the conflict was exported as ethnic between Arabs and Africans or between settlers and indigenous people.
They are deceived in the hot house
It is estimated that between 44% and 57% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from the industrial food chain, including deforestation, energy-intensive large-scale production, processing, packaging, retail, transportation, refrigeration, and waste,” according to the third edition of the book “Deceived/ Coming in the Hot House”, which was released in conjunction with the COP28 climate conference and is available at https://climatefalsesolutions.org/.
The book reviewed what it described as “pseudo-climate solutions,” which include proposals that seek to turn soils into carbon sinks, control seed diversity, and others whose irresponsible and deadly practices have reduced biodiversity, increased use of agricultural toxins, expanded genetic manipulation, and all of which have led to the emergence of weeds. Hence, life as we know it remains on the brink of the abyss.
He also pointed out that one of the false solutions to confront climate change is “biofuels” as an alternative to fossil fuels, as “biofuels” include everything from garbage to trees, construction waste, wood demolition, toxic paper mills, weeds or crop waste, poultry waste, and burning trees in power plants.
Fools in the Hot House confirmed that all types of biofuels create pollution during combustion and can rival or exceed the pollution produced by burning coal, based on reports from the Biofuel Watch (biofuelwatch.org.uk) and the Energy Justice Network (energyjustice.net). /biomass)
Data contained in “Deceived/Coming in a Hot Home” and taken from international institutions showed that farmers and indigenous peoples gave humanity 2.1 million varieties of 7,000 domesticated plants. Commercial breeders focus on only 137 types of crops, of which only 16 crops represent 86%. From global food production, a focus on biodiversity is essential to building the resilience we need in the face of the climate crisis.
She explained that cutting down forests to create farms or pastures, or for other reasons, causes emissions, because trees, when cut, release the carbon they had stored, and approximately 12 million hectares of forests are destroyed every year.
She pointed out that landfills are the third largest source of methane manufactured materials in the world after livestock and natural gas. About half of the landfill gas consists of methane and the other half of carbon dioxide, along with hundreds of toxic pollutants, noting that many gases leak from landfills as fugitive emissions. It causes cancer and other health problems in communities.
According to the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers (globalree.org), for every 100 tonnes of waste burned, we find that about 70 tonnes of it become air pollutants, and the remaining 30 tons become toxic ash that is thrown into landfills, which makes it more harmful than throwing all the waste in landfills. Without burning, what’s worse is that some of the waste is used in hazardous ash reuse plants.
“Deceived in the Hot House” expressed that nuclear energy is a new pollutant. Although reactors do not release a lot of carbon dioxide during electricity generation, nuclear energy produces greenhouse gases many times greater than wind and solar energy, as uranium mining, grinding, and enrichment use enormous energy. Which causes large emissions of greenhouse gases.
He pointed out that the US Army uses depleted uranium to produce bullets for combat aircraft and tank armor shells, which has led to the contamination of the land, air and water in Puerto Rico, Iraq and Afghanistan, where America participated in a military war and ammunition testing. Since uranium is a heavy metal, it leaves serious, severe and long-term health effects when… Inhaled or swallowed, according to beyondunclear.org.
Conflicts and the environment
Wars cause a significant increase in emissions harmful to the environment, especially wars that break out inside cities, as throwing bombs, explosive devices, and missiles causes severe damage to the environment, as a result of the destruction of fields, forests, agricultural soil, and other environmental impacts.
“We need to do more to understand the climate costs of war if we are to identify pathways toward reducing emissions and increasing resilience during recovery,” said a report published by the Conflict and Environment Observatory ceobs.org.
During the leaders’ summit at “COP28”, Jordanian King Abdullah II warned that the Palestinian people face a real danger, and they have a minimum amount of water, and the war makes the risks of water and food scarcity more acute, stressing that this year’s Conference of the Parties is necessary more than any other. It is time to acknowledge that we cannot talk about climate change in isolation from the human tragedies we see around us.
In turn, engineer Ahmed Abu Dhaher, the Palestinian liaison officer at the Conferences of the Parties, said: “The environmental situation in the State of Palestine is catastrophic as a result of the genocidal war waged by Israel against Gaza and the clashes in the West Bank.”
As the war in Gaza continues, environmental pollution is likely to increase further. During the first forty-five days of the war, Israel dropped more than 22,000 bombs on the Strip, according to a report published by the American newspaper The Washington Post on December 10.
In the context of the impact of wars, the Ukrainian Deputy Minister of the Environment, Victoria Kirieva, said on the sidelines of COP28, on December 4, that the war is responsible for 150 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
A report published by the Future Centre for Advanced Research and Studies under the title “Loss of Adaptation: The Mutual Effects of Armed Conflicts and the Climate Crisis,” available at the link https://futureuae.com/ar-AE/Mainpage/Item/8870, indicated the increasing intensity of conflicts and wars in the region.
The Middle East and the world, such as the military confrontations that emerged this year in Sudan, the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, as well as the continuing effects and repercussions resulting from the Russian war in Ukraine.
The report added that rapid climate changes could lead to the escalation of internal conflicts and wars, especially in the hottest and driest regions, as this phenomenon could lead to scarcity of food and water, which may lead to fuelling conflicts and civil wars, and the Sahel and West Africa are among the most Areas vulnerable to influences of this type.
The report explained that climate change may be a direct cause of international dispute or conflict, especially in cases of conflict over shared or cross-border resources.
Analyses indicate that the melting of ice in the Arctic region is due to rising temperatures and may open the door to a major conflict between the major powers over control of untapped resources of oil, natural gas, and minerals. In addition, the melting of ice could increase the space for international competition. To control shipping trade routes. According to this vision, future conflict or increased competition in the Arctic will be driven in large parts by climate change and rising temperatures in this region.
Proposal
Adding the provision for the participation of defense ministers in “COP” activities, starting from “COP29”, which Azerbaijan will host during the period from November 11-22 in 2024, while Brazil will host the next edition of the Conferences of the Parties “COP30” in November 2025, is a step to enhance the role of the armies. In confronting climate challenges in terms of plans to reduce emissions resulting from various military activities, participating in land conservation plans, confronting disasters resulting from climate change such as floods and drought, and preventing the outbreak of conflicts due to climate change.
Many studies have confirmed that the most urgent matter is that all countries bear international obligations to address their emissions, and that this process is impossible in the absence of reliable data, indicating the necessity of including military carbon emissions, the activities of armies in peace and war, and the environmental repercussions resulting from wars.
According to a report issued in 2022 by Scientists for Global Responsibility and the Conflict and Environment Observatory, the military carbon footprint is estimated at about 5.5% of global emissions, which means that if the world’s armies were a state, they would rank fourth in the world in carbon emissions.
Environmental changes may lead to conflicts over resources, and armies are seen as responsible for 50% of governments’ carbon emissions, so they can play a role in combating climate change by reducing emissions.
Military emissions were excluded from the 1979 Kyoto Protocols, which deal with reducing greenhouse gases, and were again exempted from the Paris Agreement in COP21 on the grounds that publishing data on energy use by militaries could threaten countries’ national security. On the other hand, the data that some militaries voluntarily publish is unreliable or incomplete at best.
The Pentagon and climate change
The book “The Pentagon, Climate Change, and War” explained that the Pentagon is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, pointing out that the competition between China and the United States remains an obstacle to adopting a cooperative policy to prevent the worsening effects of climate change, especially since the two countries are considered the two most environmentally polluting countries in the world.
Despite the agreement between Beijing and Washington in mid-November 2023 to enhance cooperation between them, the steadfastness of the agreement or its transformation into actual practice could collide with the state of geopolitical competition between the two powers, and wars may be a direct reason for strengthening the international gap in response to climate change.
Wars also impede the path of energy transition, which is what resulted from the Russian war in Ukraine. With Moscow using the natural gas card as a weapon in its war with the West, and to confront the shortage of Russian gas in the European market, a number of countries within the European Union resorted to extending or reopening coal-fired power plants, after closing them in response to clean energy transition policies.
On the other hand, the unprecedented rise in energy prices following the Ukrainian war could lead to enhanced investment efforts in developing oil and natural gas fields, all of which are goals that are not in favor of the transition to clean energy away from fossil fuels.
A report published by the “Green Future” website this December said: https://greenfue.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%82-%D8 %A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%AF/, no one denies that war harms the environment, as toxic chemicals continue to pollute soil and water for decades after the fighting stops, and what is less clear is It is the carbon emissions resulting from armed conflicts and their long-term effects on the climate.
A research paper by the Queen Mary University of London team estimated that the US military alone contributes to the greenhouse gas emissions of more than 150 countries, noting that militaries do not have sufficient transparency, and it is very difficult to access the data necessary to conduct comprehensive carbon emissions calculations, even in… Peace time.
The Queen Mary University team attempted to open what it called the “black box” of wartime emissions and demand transparent reporting on military emissions, noting that military emissions are not necessarily limited to wartime, but increase dramatically during combat, and among the largest sources are jet fuel and diesel. For tanks and naval ships.
Other sources of military emissions include the manufacture of weapons and ammunition, the deployment of troops, housing, and feeding armies. Then there is the havoc caused by armies by dropping bombs, including fires, smoke and rubble from damage to homes and infrastructure – all of which amounts to a “war carbon footprint.”
The research paper pointed out that the construction of walls and insulation in war zones contributes significantly to emissions, explaining that concrete also has a huge carbon footprint, as it represents approximately 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Cryosphere
The “State of the Cryosphere 2023” report issued by the Global Cryosphere Climate Initiative, available at https://iccinet.org/statecryo23/, stated that if the Earth’s temperature increased by two degrees, all frozen parts of the Earth would suffer irreparable damage at Global warming by 2 degrees Celsius, with dire consequences for millions of people, communities and nature.
The cryosphere is the name given to areas of snow and ice on Earth, ranging from ice sheets, glaciers, snow and permafrost to sea ice and polar oceans – which are acidifying much more rapidly than warm water. The report explained that the melting of glaciers leads to the flooding of river valleys in Kashmir and Nepal, and the decrease in rainfall threatens water and food security, as it exposes the lives of about 182 million people to death due to the spread of epidemics and famines. It is also expected that the melting of ice in Greenland will lead to a rise in sea levels by 6%. meters, which is enough to flood almost all low-lying island countries, as well as coastal areas in different countries of the world.
Climate bomb
The Arctic is the second largest store of carbon in the world after the Amazon forest, and it is described as the “world’s refrigerator” because it regulates global temperatures. As temperatures rise, fears are mounting that the melting of permafrost will trigger a climate bomb, releasing a billion tons of carbon gases into the atmosphere. It awakens bacteria and microbes that have been dormant for a long time and changes the polar landscape in a way that will disrupt basic local and ecological human activities.
The melting of the polar ice provides the opportunity for competition and conflict over the vast energy resources in that region, which are estimated at about 30% of the world’s undiscovered oil and gas reserves. In addition, the region is rich in fish and natural minerals such as nickel, platinum, palladium, and rare earth elements vital to modern technology and innovations.
The icy Arctic also constitutes a new area of conflict between the major powers, especially since Russia seeks to benefit from the revival of the Northern Sea Route as an internal shipping line, while Washington is working to consider it an international strait so that it does not become subject to Russian sovereignty.
The “Loss of Adaptation” report noted that wars and armed conflicts can exacerbate climate crises, and their outbreak may be a result of extreme climate phenomena. Wars also lead to a reduction in allocations for responding to climate changes, as wars will negatively affect the effective response to climate threats, in light of the following: Among the considerations is the tendency of countries to increase defense spending and army allocations at the expense of allocations that could be directed to climate action, and this was directly reflected in global military spending in 2022, which reached $2.24 trillion, and Europe witnessed the largest annual increase in its defense spending since Three decades.
Weakness of societies
The “Loss of Adaptation” report reviewed the effects of wars on climate, as wars and armed conflicts weaken the ability of local communities to adapt to climate change and reduce their expected impacts, as wars cause a number of disasters, including the destruction of infrastructure and an increase in refugee cases. Displacement, and the exacerbation of food and health crises, are factors that lead to increased fragility of countries and a decline in their ability to withstand or respond effectively to climate change in general.
A July 2020 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross found that of the 25 countries most vulnerable to climate change, 14 are mired in conflict.
Climate resistance
The international process of negotiations to combat climate change began during the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Following this summit, the official body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was formed with the aim of allowing the ecosystem to achieve sustainable development and stabilize greenhouse gases within a time frame while providing support for the global response. To the risks posed by climate change, the agreement entered into force in 1994, and was ratified by 197 countries and the European Union.
The first session of the Climate Summit “COP1” was launched in Berlin, Germany, in 1995, and set goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It was decided to hold an annual meeting every year in one of the countries. These annual meetings were postponed only once in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as COP26 has been postponed to 2021 instead of 2020.
The “COP” conferences constituted milestones in efforts to confront climate challenges, including: the “COP3” meetings in the Japanese city of Kyoto in 1997, as the Kyoto Protocol was adopted by 195 countries and entered into force in 2005, and the Kyoto Protocol imposed on 37 developed countries to reduce emissions at a rate A year of 5% compared to 1990, and an 8% reduction in emissions in the European Union in the period from 2008-2012.
The meetings of the sixth session of the Conference of the Parties, which resumed in the German city of Bonn in July 2001, witnessed agreement on what was called “flexible mechanisms,” including the establishment of three new funds to provide assistance for needs related to climate change.
The international community agreed at the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit (COP15) in 2009 that a two-degree Celsius rise in the planet’s temperature could lead to disruption of the planet’s ecosystem, and developed countries pledged to allocate $100 billion annually starting in 2020 to help developing countries build a low-income economy. Carbon, as well as subjecting financing measures provided to developing countries to international review and establishing a Green Climate Fund to support emission reduction projects in developing countries.
The parties participating in the “COP21” meetings, which were hosted by the French capital, Paris, in 2015, reached an agreement that was described as “historic” to combat climate change, accelerate the intensification of measures and investments necessary for a sustainable future with low carbon emissions, and strengthen the global response by limiting the increase in the planet’s temperature to more than From 1.5 degrees by 2050, in addition to calling for the necessity of reviewing and raising pledges and providing financial aid to the countries of the South.
The “COP26” summit in Glasgow, Britain, in 2021 achieved consensus in negotiations to confront climate change, including demanding that countries reduce dependence on coal and withdraw support for fossil fuels for the first time in the history of the conference, as well as demanding that collective funding for climate finance be doubled by 2025 under an item called “Loss and damage”, as well as the agreement on rules for global carbon markets, and the announcement by America and China – the two largest carbon emitters – to cooperate on climate change measures.
During the Glasgow Summit 2021, America and the European Union also led a global initiative to reduce methane gas in 100 countries by 30% by 20230 compared to 2020 levels, and more than 100 countries promised to stop the process of cutting down forest trees and compensate for what was cut by 2030.
The “COP27” climate conference, which was held in Sharm El-Sheikh in November 2022, extended its meetings for an additional day to reach consensus on thorny issues, and the summit ended with a pledge to provide new climate financing for the first time and to establish a “Loss and Damage” fund to help developing countries address the effects of climate change, as agreed. Participants stressed the need to produce healthy and sustainable food, as well as introducing water into sectors eligible for climate financing within mitigation and adaptation policies, and launching the term “nature-based solutions” within forest conservation efforts.
Scientific experiments
Reviewing some scientific experiments to confront the challenges of climate change represents a major path in highlighting human efforts to confront the risks resulting from climate change. Scientists have been working for years on a group of projects to cool the Earth through the use of solar geoengineering (climate engineering) and are based on deliberate, large-scale intervention in the system. The climate on Earth, to reflect sunlight back into space and cool the planet, according to the report “Solar geoengineering… Scientific attempts to interfere with the climate system on Earth” available at: https://ozoneeg.net/2022/01/14/% D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%8A%D9%88%D9 %84%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A9/.
The report reviewed scientific projects that are currently in the experimental state in the hope of adopting them to confront climate challenges, including: “industrial foams,” which are based on the idea of cooling the Earth by covering large parts of the oceans with so-called industrial foams in a process known as ocean foams or microbubbles, pointing to Oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface.
As for the “White Cities” project, it depends on cooling the Earth by painting houses and roofs white to reflect the sun’s rays, because a white roof is about 30% cooler than a dark roof, while the idea of the “Reflective Space Mirror” project is based on using a fleet of giant space reflectors and launching them into Space to orbit around the Earth and reflect more sunlight away from the Earth, provided that the size of the mirror or mirrors used is determined by the amount of sunlight that can be reflected back into space, thus preventing an increase in carbon dioxide levels and a drop in temperature.
The Ozone report indicated that scientists are divided over the field of solar geoengineering and its use. One group supports this trend as providing short-term relief for the Earth – in the event that it can no longer bear the brunt of global warming – while many scientists blatantly oppose the use of geoengineering for fear of… It may deviate from its correct path in unexpected ways, and it may be difficult to avoid the negative effects resulting from it once you start it.
The report said: “These scientific efforts are still laboratory experiments and have not received sufficient scientific and political support to be adopted and implemented.”
On the other hand, a recent scientific study conducted by the British University of Exeter and published by the magazine “Nature” warned of the dangers of potential experiments with the science of “solar Earth engineering” on the climate of our planet, which cannot tolerate more adventures with unsafe consequences, amid a continuous rise in temperatures and a huge increase in… in greenhouse gas emissions during the last decade.
