My message to COP-28 conferees: Have productive talks, reach consensus, then let’s get to work to fix the climate
Editor’s note: It is my hope that the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP-28) to be held in Dubai late this fall yields some constructive talks with consensus reached, all of the delegates attending come to agreement and work at putting climate on a path to stabilization will be forthcoming in time and is sufficiently effective to prevent a climate meltdown.
To: All COP-28 conferees,
The world will be watching. Count on it!
Make talks productive.
Come to agreement. Implement widespread climate-correcting action with the aim of lessening the severity, intensity and frequency of future climate-change-related impacts. Remember: Only positive change will win the day.
Take comfort in knowing that this year one climate expert was resolute when she reported during a recent tv interview that the curve on global warming was finally bending. Make certain you do all that’s in your power, taking every opportunity to see to it that that encouraging takeaway isn’t, well, taken away.
Also know this: Productive summit talks will surely resonate with the legions of climate activists, scientists and those in associated fields all across the globe. Moreover, any interested person who has made it a priority or has taken it upon themselves to do what they can to lower individual carbon and toxic and criteria air pollution contributions, will most appreciate all of your efforts, as will all the people whose lives have been uprooted as a result of their being in the wrong place at the wrong time such as in having the misfortune of being caught in the middle of an extreme weather event such as a monsoon or hurricane.
The number of extreme weather events of late seem to only be growing, and increasingly, they appear to be getting more and more unforgiving.
Please also never, ever lose site of the realization that atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are on the upswing continuing the trend. Humans every year are pumping upwards of 40 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, the air CO2 concentration by volume itself has reached an average 418 parts per million (ppm) parts of air. Please never forget this.
What’s more, the time to take climate remediating action is running out. A significant number believe there are but a handful of years left to get our climate house in order. To meet agreed-upon goals, the biggest advances to come down the pike must be had early in the game, otherwise we risk not meeting previously specified climate targets in time. By not doing so, this could have catastrophic consequences.
Lastly, upon the COP-28 climate-summit’s closing, let all of us get going putting into effect all actions, programs and strategies to set the world right and on the path that removes once and for all time the possibility of our going over the climate precipice.
That is my message to you.
Thank you!
⁃ Alan Kandel
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