COP26: A UN Lifeboat or False Hope?

The world was left quite disrupted after struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries scrambled to safeguard their population and livelihood from the virus but there’s a bigger enemy that is still looming over our heads. Climate change poses a threat to the very existence of our planet and its people as we know it. A challenge faced by the world as a whole brought by the world as a whole. A problem whose solution can only be brought by the ones who caused it to secure the development and livelihoods of not just us but the future generations to come.

 The UN has organized a 12-day conference with the participation of 190 leaders around the world, along with negotiators, government representatives, businesses, and citizens for the Twenty-Sixth Session of the Conference of Parties, also known as the COP26. The conference is being hosted by the United Kingdom, in partnership with Italy with the agenda of bringing the world closer together to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held from 31st October 2021 to 12th November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. “Securing a brighter future for our children and future generations requires countries to take urgent action at home and abroad to turn the tide on climate change. It is with ambition, courage, and collaboration as we approach the crucial COP26 summit in the UK that we can seize this moment together, so we can recover cleaner, rebuild greener and restore our planet,” said Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in regards to COP26.

The convention identifies all countries, government authorities, citizens, private enterprises and other representatives need to work together to bring a halt to climate change as it is a global issue, which cannot be solved without the coordination and efforts of every individual. The UK has said that 190 countries and organizations have vowed to reduce their coal usage and quit coal-dependent power altogether. More than 40 countries like Poland, Vietnam, and Chile have signed the statement. Vinisha Umashankar, a 15-year-old, Children’s Climate Prize winner from Tamil Nadu made a speech for the same on the 4th day of the conference. She said, “young people have every reason to be angry and frustrated at leaders who have made empty promises and failed to deliver. None of what we discuss today is practical for me. We need actions rather than promises to live in a habitable world.” 

The UN conference shows promise and commitment towards spreading awareness and bringing change for the world and our environment. World leaders and citizens alike are joining forces to bring about sustainable development within cities, towns, villages, and streets alike. How far can we go to save the only Earth we have? How much care and effort can we actually put in to create a future better for ourselves? Can we save ourselves before it’s too late? Can we save this drowning ship?