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COP Summits and their efforts and effects
- Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh
Writer, Author & Social Activist
Blogger - "Climate Diary Of Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh"
Have we ever thought about why the results and goals of climate change conferences do not reach the common man, whereas the public is most closely related to the bad effects of climate change? In slowing down the pace of climate change and keeping human life safe on earth, awareness of the common man matters the most. Barring a few NGOs and those interested in the climate change campaign, most people do not even know that the COP 27 conference took place on 07-18 November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh. Should we believe that we are working at a fast pace by bringing awareness to only 40 people out of a population of four billion? We have to think seriously about this.
Recently, I was discussing climate change with an acquaintance of mine. They are professor in the university i.e. they are highly educated. He cannot be called a common man because he is an intellectual. They are experts in their subject. But he expressed his ignorance when it came to the COP conventions. He was not aware of a single COP (Conference of the Parties) convention. They didn't even know that in November 2022 the COP 27 conference took place in Sharm el-Sheikh. On the contrary, he asked me where is this Sharam el-Sheikh? Coincidentally, at the same time his grandson entered the drawing-room and exclaimed in surprise, "Grandpa, you don't know where Sharam el-Sheikh is? Oh, just now there was such a big conference, on climate change. Grandpa! Sharm el-Sheikh is in Egypt. Now don't you ask where is Egypt?"
His grandson went away laughing. The professor left shameful. Then the professor laughed faintly and said, "Sorry, I forgot. I have already been to Egypt. I attended a seminar on my subject. There we also saw pyramids." He started speaking to hide his ignorance. Whereas the truth was that they neither knew about the COP, nor about its activities nor about its efforts being made on climate change. I thought that when an intellectual professor is not aware of the COOP convention and the efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, the question of an auto rickshaw driver or a domestic servant being aware of all this does not arise. Whereas the economically weaker section lives in those places, where the worst environment lives. We name them as low settlements and as soon as we call them low settlements or slum settlements or down town, the picture of the environment full of filth flashes before our eyes. This is the section which is most affected by the effects of change in climate and environment.
The professor's grandson is now aware of COP because he was given a project on climate change at his school. But tomorrow, when he grows up and joins the race to get jobs in multinational companies, will he still be able to know so much about climate change or forget everything by getting engrossed in his livelihood?
Actually, it seems that we know how to reach such people not directly but only through voluntary organizations. We are not able to bring awareness about climate change to the people living among us. One reason I understand for this is that only UNFCCC member countries can participate in an organization like the COP and only nominated persons. In a country like India, where the environmental and climate problems are serious due to population, there is a great distance between the members attending conferences like COP and the general public. Voluntary organizations of such people give a good picture of efforts whose actual scope of efforts is very small.
When a work is done by different people on many levels, its nature changes by the time it reaches the actual place. The topics which should be discussed and contemplated daily are confined to a particular day, particular week, and particular month. Always talking about awareness among the conscious is like signing a no-drinking oath from a person who has never touched alcohol in his life.
Well, the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, or COP27, the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference, was held since from 6 to 18 November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The points on which COP 27 was focused were to develop strategies to manage climate risks and build resilience, to meet the growing demand for food, and to address water scarcity. Also, focusing on the solutions needed to build cities and infrastructure keeping in mind the climate. This Presidency Action Agenda for COP 27 was set to - "In parallel with the negotiations tracks, the COP27 Egyptian Presidency has designated a number of key thematic days that will place on its agenda a number of panel discussions, roundtables and side events. The thematic days come as part of our efforts to enable a broad interaction with various stakeholders where the voice of youth, women, civil society and indigenous people will be at the center of these discussions and an enabler to its influence. Among key focus areas will be the promise of innovation and clean technologies as well as the centrality of water and agriculture to the climate crisis. The role of science will also be highlighted in addition to biodiversity loss, energy transition, decarburization efforts and finance.”
It is important to assess how well efforts have gained momentum between COP 26 in Glasgow and COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in 2021? How much have we been able to cut down on the things that are harming the climate? And now what are our hopes ahead in reaching the next Cope 28 which will be held at Expo City Dubai.
Among all efforts, it is of paramount importance to raise awareness about the dangers of climate change in Third World Common persons. Is it right that by worrying about climate change among a handful of people, we continue to believe that we are fulfilling our responsibility properly? Should we believe that we are working at a fast pace by bringing awareness to only 40 people out of a population of four billion? We have to think seriously about this.
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(06.11.2022)
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