ESG Radio Newsletter 3rd November 2022
With COP27 launching in Egypt next weekend it really does seem only weeks since the last and much heralded COP26 took place in Glasgow. Then, much fanfare was made of the commitments from world leaders to meaningfully reduce their countries carbon emissions. The British Government had also published an Environment Bill, or Act, just ahead of COP26, setting out enforceable targets to be met by COP27 – the aim was for one target to be set in each priority area per year, which were: Air, Water, Biodiversity and Waste Reduction. In the past few days the UK Government released a statement on how they were not able to meet this first deadline, not blaming Brexit, or politics, Ukraine or the energy crisis – instead, they blamed the massive public feedback received to the original Environment Bill consultation rounds, as reasons why no targets had been reached? This is quite bizarre.
Sadly the robust front delivered by, yes, Boris Johnson, and his colleague and President of COP26, Alok Sharma, last year in Glasgow, has got lost amidst the goings on in the UK parliament, together with the economy, energy, inflation, etc. With the new Prime Minister finally agreeing to attend the Egypt COP27 after all, let us hope he returns inspired and focused to back the plans already in place to push UK towards a greener future. It’s critical that he will do that.
Looking closer to home we know our Climate Strategy, published during last years COP, has helped foster some traction within Govt circles to prepare for targets to be met here in Gibraltar. However we do not know exactly what will be met within targets, what will be delayed, or by how long. As with the UK we think the Gibraltar Government should explain and inform the community of the efforts they are making towards significantly reducing our carbon emissions, of course, including from shipping and foreign vehicle fuel sales. These measures will also improve our physical environment and make Gibraltar a better and healthier place to live.
We understand that humans are living in a time of contradiction and that we have to balance growth with the ability of our planet to maintain a stable environment. It fills many of us with dismay as we see the energy crisis unfold leading to the reversal of critical policies. These changes, however, will last a long time and lead us into ever more extreme climate behaviour just at a time when we know there is a limited time to cut our emissions.
Let’s start talking/shouting/sharing thoughts and concerns about climate change – it is an emergency – lets hear from our political leaders too with their thoughts on such a BIG issue of the day!!
COP27 6th to the 18th November
