COP26, the climate conference that took place in the Scottish city of Glasgow this month, was presented as the last chance to limit global warming to 1.5 °C.
After two weeks of intense negotiations, the nearly 200 countries present at COP26, the United Nations conference on climate change, signed an agreement on Saturday (13/11) to try to guarantee the achievement of the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C.
But in addition to agreements and photo opportunities, what do countries actually need to do to tackle climate change?
1. Keep fossil fuels in the ground
Burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas and especially coal releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, trapping heat and raising global temperatures.
It is an issue that must be addressed at the governmental level so that the increase in temperature is limited to 1.5°C — a level considered to be the gateway to dangerous climate change.
However, many of the major coal-dependent countries — such as Australia, the United States, China and India — refused to sign an agreement at the conference aimed at phasing out the energy source in the coming decades.
2. Reduce methane emissions
A recent report by the United Nations (UN) suggested that reducing methane emissions could make an important contribution to combating the planetary emergency.
A significant amount of methane is released from the so-called flaring — the burning of natural gas during oil extraction — and can be stopped with technical solutions.
Finding better ways to dispose of waste is also important because landfills are another big source of methane.
At COP26, nearly 100 countries agreed to reduce methane emissions, in an agreement led by the US and the European Union. The Global Methane Pledge aims to limit methane emissions by 30% compared to 2020 levels.
3. Switch to renewable energy
Electricity and heat generation contribute more to global emissions than any economic sector.
Transforming the global energy system, now dependent on fossil fuels, into one dominated by clean technology — a process known as decarbonization — is critical to achieving today’s climate goals.
Wind and solar energy will need to dominate the energy matrix by 2050 if countries are to meet their net zero emission targets.
There are challenges, however.
Less wind means less electricity generated, but better battery technology could help us store excess energy from renewable sources, ready to be released when needed.
4. Quit gasoline and diesel
We’re also going to need to change the way we fuel the vehicles we use to get around on land, at sea and in the air.
Leaving gasoline and diesel cars behind and adopting electric vehicles will be crucial.
Trucks and buses could run on hydrogen fuel, ideally produced from renewable energy.
And scientists are working on new, cleaner fuels for aircraft, although activists are also calling on people to reduce the number of flights they take.
5. Plant more trees
A UN report in 2018 stated that to have a realistic chance of keeping the global temperature rise below 1.5 °C, we will have to remove CO2 from the air.
Forests excel at absorbing it from the atmosphere — which is why activists and scientists emphasize the need to protect the natural world by reducing deforestation.
Mass tree planting programs are seen as a way to offset CO2 emissions.
Trees are likely to be important as countries struggle to meet their zero-emission targets, because once emissions have been reduced as much as possible, remaining emissions could be “offset” by carbon sinks such as forests.
6. Remove greenhouse gases from the air
Emerging technologies that artificially remove CO2 from the atmosphere, or prevent it from being released in the first place, could play a role in this.
A number of direct air capture facilities are being developed, including those built by Carbon Engineering in Texas and Climeworks in Switzerland.
These machines work by using huge fans to suck air into a chemical filter that absorbs CO2.
Another method is carbon capture and storage, which captures emissions at “point sources” in which they are produced, such as coal-fired power plants. The CO2 is then buried deep underground.
However, the technology is expensive — and controversial, because it is seen by critics as helping to perpetuate dependence on fossil fuels.
7. Helping the poorest countries financially
At the COP in Copenhagen in 2009, rich countries pledged to provide $100 billion (BRL 550 billion) in funding by 2020 to help developing countries fight and adapt to climate change.
The deadline has not been met, although the UK government, which holds the presidency of the COP, has recently drafted a plan to put the funding into practice by 2023.
Many coal-dependent countries are facing severe energy shortages that jeopardize their recovery from the covid-19 pandemic and disproportionately affect the poor.
These factors prevent them from moving away from polluting industries.
Some experts believe the poorest nations will need ongoing financial support to help them move towards greener energy.
For example, the US, the European Union and the UK recently committed $8.5 billion (BRL 46 billion) to help South Africa eliminate the use of coal.
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