香港六合彩

Speeches by 香港六合彩鈥檚 experts in climate action

Richard Jackson, Director of sustainability

Richard Jackson emphasised that 鈥渁n institution like 香港六合彩 can drive climate action forwards鈥� significantly, especially considering the size and听plethora of expertise that the multidisciplinary university has. Jackson also stated that events听like the 香港六合彩 Youth COP provide an opportunity for students to practice the vital skill of reaching a 鈥渃ommon ground鈥� despite the differences in priorities of individual actors partaking in negotiations.

Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Institute for Global Prosperity

Professor McGlade听听provided various听tips to students for successful negotiations regarding the climate crisis. This included the听necessity of developing 鈥渞esilience鈥�, 鈥渟tanding your ground鈥� and 鈥渂eing authentic鈥�. She also听stressed the importance of 鈥渟tepping into the world鈥� of politicians to help them 鈥渃onnect听the dots鈥� and show interconnectivity in the way that climate change affects all facets of life,听whether it is land, food, transportation or water.

Zi Han Xuan, Executive Director of Climate Action Society

Zi Han Xuan听emphasised that 鈥渘egotiations surrounding climate change need to be more meaningful and inclusive鈥�, as 鈥渘ot听everyone who deserves to be present in negotiations has their voice heard鈥�. This 香港六合彩 Youth COP provides this voice whilst 鈥渕obilising an increasing collective movement which in turn adds pressure to negotiators to be more ambitious.鈥�

The negotiations

Student participants then moved into one of 12 interest groups on behalf of which they were acted throughout the negotiation simulations on the day. The groups ranged from Royal Dutch Shell and Greenpeace to the People鈥檚 Republic of China and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).听

All the different actors made opening statements which outlined their goals for the conference. Notably, Brazil, who came under fire over recent years as a result of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro鈥檚 controversial decisions regarding climate change, attempted to 鈥渞egain trust鈥� and create a 鈥渂etter reputation鈥�, as they stated their commitment to stop deforestation by 2030 and reserve 14% of their land for indigenous people.

Headlines throughout the day revealed the heated, bilateral discussions taking place in some of the negotiation breakout rooms. Some include:

鈥�Exclusive: the US attempts to 鈥渞egain trust鈥� after 鈥�4 turbulent years鈥� as they are back in听the global warming world effort

Breakthrough: China is willing to phase out coal earlier than 2050 if they receive听subsidies from other countries

鈥�Hardliner: Alliance of Small Island States refuse to concede as Shell requests more time and money to complete听climate action goals

鈥榊es': The UK and the USA agree that China needs to reduce emissions significantly by听2050

Resolutions passed after hours of negotiations:

Resolution 1a)

Annex I countries must raise the minimum $100 billion per year and should establish mechanisms to scale up funding to reach a total of $300 billion per year by 2050, among other things by tapping into the worldwide pool of private finance, to help LDCs in their fight against climate change.

Resolution 2b)

Annex I countries should commit to net zero emissions by 2050, non-Annex I countries should commit to net zero emissions by 2060.

Resolution 3a)

We should give protected status to 30% of natural areas to avoid future destruction. Especially unique areas that are of high importance to the global ecosystem and carbon system should be protected, such as mangroves, the arctic, the rainforests and sea kelp forests.

Resolution 4b)

Coal must be phased out by 2030 for Annex I, by 2040 for other major emitters and by 2050 for the rest of the world.

Resolution 5c)

All countries should adopt India鈥檚 ambition: transition towards electric vehicles in a gradual manner with an interim target of 30% electrification of all new vehicles sold by 2030. Further transition to ZEVs should be market let.

Resolution 6c)

All countries should determine their one path towards sustainable farming practices.

Resolution 7b)

All countries must allow people fleeing from natural disasters, environmental degradation and sea-level rise to enter their countries and make new homes there

Presenting the Youth COP Outcomes to 香港六合彩's COP26 representatives

香港六合彩鈥檚 very own COP26 Representatives Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Professor Rodney Harrison, Dr Jerome Lewis and Robbie Mallett 听joined the 香港六合彩 Youth COP at the end of the day, sharing their reactions to the resolutions passed. They also emphasised the importance for 香港六合彩鈥檚 COP26 representatives to represent student voices.

Notably, Dr Jerome Lewis, 香港六合彩 Anthropology echoed the most important facet of youth conferences like these, that often focus on 鈥減olicy without the politics鈥�, which means that 鈥渃lear thinking is what emerges when there aren't competing interests influencing the decision process鈥�, resulting in more 鈥渁mbitious鈥� resolutions. Ultimately, he said it can be seen as 鈥渨iser to ask the youth for their solutions rather than politicians with fingers in many pies鈥�.

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By Martin Barabas, Politics and Sociology, First Year