The climate crisis is intensifying and it’s touching every part of our lives. Global efforts to address climate change are more urgent than ever. That’s why the world gathered in Dubai from December 3 till December12, at the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP).

The annual global climate change conference offered a chance for governments and other stakeholders from around the world to address climate injustice and refocus climate action on the most vulnerable communities worldwide. This was a particularly significant conference as the first Global Stock take concluded at COP28, in which policymakers came together to decide
on a political course of action and set new goals based on the evaluation.

The findings of the Global Stocktake made it clear that we are not doing enough to implement the Paris Agreement agenda and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Changing course requires transformative collaboration across all sectors, especially the global economy.  Ensuring that the needs, concerns, and unique realities of women and girls are adequately addressed is crucial for improved climate governance outcomes at every level, as the goals of sustainable development and gender equality are intrinsically linked.

For the first time, countries around the world have pledged to phase out the use of gas, oil and coal in order to achieve “zero net emissions” by the middle of the century.

COP28 has also, for the first time, created a space dedicated to dialogues with members of the faith community. The Faith Pavilion‘s events are livestreamed and available on their YouTube channel for everyone to watch– including the Faiths for Biodiversity. 

“Humanity is waging war on nature. This is senseless and suicidal,” Secretary-General António Guterres said in the foreword of the United Nations Environment Program’s Making Peace With Nature report, published last year. “The consequences of our recklessness are already apparent in human suffering, towering economic losses and the accelerating erosion of life on Earth”.

What was agreed at COP28?

The United Nations Climate Change conference, COP28, has concluded with a historic agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewable energy and increase climate finance for the most vulnerable. https://unfccc.int/news/cop28-agreement-signals-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-fossil-fuel-era

“The era of fossil fuels must come to an end, and it must come to an end with justice and fairness”, said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres after the agreement.

World leaders at this week’s climate conference, COP28, had to decide to break the deadly cycle of global warming before a “deadly tipping point” is reached, said the UN chief .

“Humanity is waging war on nature. This is senseless and suicidal,” Secretary-General António Guterres said in the foreword of the United Nations Environment Program’s Making Peace With Nature report, published last year. “The consequences of our recklessness are already apparent in human suffering, towering economic losses and the accelerating erosion of life on Earth”.

What can we  do about it?

There are many things we can do on an individual basis: consume less; walk or cycle instead of driving; recycle; use less water, and perhaps most importantly contact your elected representatives. Ask them what they are doing to combat the triple planetary crisis – tell them it is important to you and your peers. For more idea, explore the UN’s Act Now site.

Michelle Loisel, DC
NGO Representative at the UN
Company of the Daughters of Charity