The world is expected to make up ground at the upcoming climate change summit in Dubai in shaping policies that could halt the effects of global warming. The United Nations conference, which is being held from Nov. 4 to Nov. 15, is the first high-level meeting since the United States pulled out of the Paris Agreement last year. The United Arab Emirates, which is hosting the summit, is expected to focus on bridging the gap between the US and the rest of the world, as well as implementing strategies for adaptation in the wake of a year of ‘backsliding’ on climate change initiatives.
The upcoming summit is expected to bring together world leaders, experts, activists, and civil society members from 150 countries. The gathering is being seen as the first opportunity for global leaders to start building comprehensive strategies that will effectively move the world towards a low carbon future.
Steps that are expected to be taken at the summit include setting up funds for countries to better adapt to climate change, providing financial support for renewable energy projects, and establishing increasing renewable energy targets for different countries. Other key topics of discussion will include climate change risk management and resilience strategies, as well as the effectiveness of mechanisms used to reduce emissions and transition to clean energy sources.
The UN summit will come at a crucial time for international climate talks, as the annual Conference of the Parties – COP26 – will be held in Glasgow in 2020. This will be the first opportunity for countries to present their national plans for deeper CO2 emissions cuts, and could prove the final opportunity to meet the goal of reducing global emissions in order to keep global warming below 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
It remains to be seen if the world can meet this ambitious target, but it seems safe to say that the UN summit in Dubai will be an important first step in the right direction.
