What gave us the climate summit in Biden? Important statements were made, even though Poland was not doing well

US President Joe Biden’s Climate Leaders Summit brought together 40 heads of state responsible for 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Some of the human summit announcements have brought them closer to the emissions cuts that scientists have set.

The US administration also achieved diplomatic success and allowed it to consolidate its position in global climate politics.

What are the statements made during the summit?

The nearly double reduction targets for 2030 deserve attention Japan I Canada.

An even more ambitious 2035 downgrade goal has been announced United kingdom. By this year, its emissions are set to shrink by 78 percent.

You have made an important announcement European Union: It would enter into law with the goal of reducing emissions by at least 55%. By 2030 and the goal of climate neutrality at the European Union level by 2050.

Also United States of America They have also doubled their 2030 reduction target compared to previous arrangements made by the Obama administration. As he claims Tracking climate action (CAT), a global scientific organization that tracks government work on climate policy “The greatest climate step for any American government in history.”.

What has been achieved?

According to preliminary estimates by Climate Action Tracker, the Biden Summit narrowed the global emissions gap by 12-14%. By 2030. Of course, if real emissions reductions are followed by announcements.

Emission gap)Ang. Emission gap) Is the difference between the number of emissions that we could emit in order not to exceed the threshold for an increase in the Earth’s temperature of 1.5-2 ° C, and the emissions that countries would actually emit according to their NDC plans. Nationally Determined Contributions).

So if we could theoretically emit 10 tons and emit 15 tons, then the gap is equal to 5 tons of CO2 or equivalent. With this difference, we must reduce our emissions so that the temperature does not increase by more than two degrees.

Listed 12-14 percent. Between 2.6 and 3.7 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent. For comparison, according to Worldometers, Polish greenhouse gas emissions in 2016 were 0.3 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Statements from the United States, Great Britain, the European Union, China and Japan made the biggest contribution to narrowing the gap.

What was missing?

Despite the event’s diplomatic significance, some countries have yet to announce any major climate ambitions.

There was no announcement AustraliaThat did not reinforce the reduction target for 2030. It still plans to reduce emissions by 26-28 per cent. Compared to 2005.

Turn ads Brazil Waiting to be backed by facts. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has announced a goal for 2030 and climate neutrality in 2050 (not 2060). He also said Brazil would tackle deforestation and stop illegal logging until 2030.

However, just a day after pledging to increase spending to combat deforestation, it agreed to a 24% cut. Environmental Budget 2021 – Inform Watchman.

Nothing new has fallen from the site Russia I chin. These countries ’cutback announcements for 2030 may be known during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

American diplomatic success, the defeat of Poland

The summit was supposed to be another indication – after the United States returned to the Paris Agreement – that Biden is taking the climate crisis seriously and wants to lead efforts to reduce global emissions.

“The aim of the Leaders’ Summit was to bring the United States back onto the global climate agenda and mobilize high-ranking politicians prior to the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties in Glasgow. These two goals have been achieved.” Marcin Korolik, director of the Green Economy Institute, former environment minister.

The President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, was also among the 40 invited leaders.

We wrote here about expectations regarding President Doda’s speech, and a report on his speech can be found here.

According to climate policy specialists, President Doda fell short of the challenge he faced at the Leaders Summit.

According to Marcin Korolik, the president’s speech was missing An in-depth reference to the European Union’s goals, including a declaration of readiness to contribute to the achievement of the European Union’s climate neutrality goal by 2050 and how Poland intends to achieve them as part of the green transition..

Poland, for example, was expected to announce climate neutrality or increase targets for the share of renewable energy in the energy mix. However, this did not happen, which might translate into a reduction in the diplomatic strength of our country.

“Poland, moving away from global decarbonization activities, is not only downgrading its diplomatic position, but also risks losing huge investment.” – said Paweł Czyżak from Instrat Foundation.

Graphics: Adrian Sebeki.