Are world leaders turning climate change into hot air?
A promise is a comfort to a fool. Climate change is going in a direction of empty promises from world leaders, while nations are suffering as a consequence of climate change. Every year, world leaders assemble at the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP) to put measures in place to mitigate against climate change. At the end of this meeting, there are a lot of big talks and no action. According to a United Nations article, the article states that at cop 26, the UN chief stated that it is time to go “into emergency mode”, ending fossil fuel subsidies, phasing out coal, putting a price on carbon, protecting vulnerable communities, and delivering the $100 billion climate finance commitment. The UN chief further stated that we did not achieve these goals at this conference.
The impacts of climate change are seen and felt from North America to Australia. In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, climate change is not a stranger to us. Hurricane Beryl struck on July 1st 2024 and devastated the Grenadines and some damages were recorded on mainland St. Vincent. Hurricane Beryl intensified into a category four hurricane in the blink of an eye. Recently, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we have been experiencing an everlasting heat wave that would not go away.
Persons can testify that even when you are taking a shower, you are sweating. The only solution to this heat is a fan or air conditioner. According to a BBC news article, the article states that it is now virtually certain that 2024, a year punctuated by intense heat waves and deadly storms, would be the world’s warmest on record, according to projections by the European Climate Service. The article further states that global average temperatures across the year are on track to end up more than 1.5 degree Celsius above pre- industrial levels, which would make 2024 the first calendar year to breach this symbolic mark.
As a consequence of this heat wave, the aedes aegypti mosquito population is escalating causing an increase of dengue fever in vincy. The dry season in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is getting from bad to worse resulting in water rationing in various communities. Farmers would pray for the rain during the dry season and perform the rain dance on their farm to prevent their crops from being “scorched” in the hot blazing sun. In Antarctica, ice glaciers are melting at an alarming rate causing sea level to rise in some countries across the globe. Coral reefs are the habitat for marine animals and they are literally baking from warmer waters in some countries. For example, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, has been experiencing wide spread bleaching for a number of years. If climate change gets worse, a lot of marine animals can go into “extinction” in the future and it could cause a collapse of the marine ecosystem in Australia and other countries across the globe.
Every year, world leaders are seeing the impacts of climate change in their country. However, at the United Nations climate change conferences, the execution of these promises vanish after the meeting. It seems as if world leaders are using these climate change meetings to see who can speak the best about climate change and not to reduce the effects of climate change in their country. Would cop 30 and more cop meetings in the future be more hot air from world leaders?
