A policy forum on development and environmental challenges and policies to “bridge the gap” and “connect the dots” to create one big picture for better understanding and decision-making in the society.
Since the world stepped into the first climate mitigation challenging decade of 2030 with COP26 and COP27 held respectively in 2021 and last year in the UK and Egypt, it has been passing a rugged terrain road to reach the goal of keeping the world’s temperature below 2C, and ideally, 1.5C by this century.
To do so, countries need to cut Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions at least 45% below 2019 levels by 2030, but as reported by the World Resources Institute (WRI) on key issues to watch at COP28, the accumulated reduction based on the national plans or NDCs could achieve only a 7% reduction so far. Worse, subsidies for fossil fuels, in contrast, rose to a record US$7 trillion in 2022, according to the WRI.
Some breakthroughs have been made on other fronts at COP28, including the creation of Loss and Damage Fund, but it still much remains to be seen especially the vague term of “transition away” from fossil fuels for the mitigation front rather than phasing out of phasing down fossil fuels.
The Dialogue Forum has invited the public to explore the implications of the agreements and analyses with concerned experts and policymakers at Dialogue Forum 6 l Year 4: COP28 and the Way Forward.
Our noted speakers from concerned state agencies, academic institutions, the business sector, and civil society shared their knowledge, views, and insights on the panel. They agreed that several key elements have become murkier rather than tangible with political wording and commitments proposed and adopted at the COP meeting. These include the new term, “transition away” from fossil fuels, for the mitigation front, which has replaced the terms, “phase out” and “phase down”.
Despite the success of establishing the new Loss and Damage Fund to compensate for the loss and damage caused by climate change, such a climate financing mechanism also remains murky given its scope of work as well definition. It remains very much unclear who will be subject to the fund and whether the fund will be delivered in the form of grants or loans. Climate finance in general is not sufficient, considering trillions of dollars are desperately needed to support climate action.
Adaptation, meanwhile, is no less murky given it has come up with just a loose framework, not a clear target. Last but not least is the issue concerning climate justice, which seems to be manipulated and diluted at the COP meeting.
Thai officials have vowed not to become deterred by the COP’s outcomes, however. They are pushing for a new climate change act, which will give the country a clear direction for climate action in years to come. The speakers suggested concerned agencies including the new Climate Change and Environment Department work with other stakeholders to ensure climate justice and inclusiveness and participation in the country’s policies and the new act enactment.
Watch the recording here.
The forum was organised by Bangkok Tribune in collaboration with its partners; Decode. plus, Thai SEJ, and SEA-Junction
Source: https://bkktribune.com/fb-live-recording-dialogue-forum-6-i-year-4-cop28-and-the-way-forward/
