United Nations recognises need for climate justice with new landmark resolution

Welcome to another fortnightly edition of SnippETS.

We’d like to kick things off by celebrating the United Nations adopting a new resolution that should make it easier to hold high polluting countries legally accountable for failing to tackle the climate emergency. Countries in the Pacific and in Africa have been calling for accountability and climate justice for decades and it is time for industrialised nations to honour the pledges they’ve made.

Too often, we believe these developing nations with rising populations are the biggest drivers of climate change. In reality, the places where population is rising fastest have extremely small environmental footprints per person compared to countries that reached peak population many decades ago. Besides, we have overestimated global population growth and population growth rates worldwide continue to decrease.

What is the main driver then? Wealth. Economic inequality is reflected in climate inequality and these gaps continue to widen. A major redistribution of wealth is needed to address climate inequality. This is going to take huge behavioural change, such as reducing our reliance on luxury carbon-emitting activities like in-person international conferences.

In the meantime, high emitters need to take real action to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Take the European Union, for instance, who have increased their renewable energy goal posts from 32 to 42.5 percent by 2030. This is a great example of developed nations continuing to drive decarbonisation. It also showcases how positive tipping points have allowed the EU to accelerate their net zero transition.

There are many sectors where reinforcing loops and positive tipping points are starting to be realised. Mining operations in South Africa are starting to incorporate new use cases to unrehabilitated mines, such as solar PV and community farming. Further investments into recycling could also accelerate decarbonisation in mining, reducing our need to extract new materials for the global net-zero transition.

We wrap up by highlighting the need for more gender diverse boardrooms. Women are more likely to speak out about unethical behaviour and support environmentally conscious decisions. If we’re going to drive down emissions and rebalance the world’s inequalities, it is essential that we start taking accountability in our own workplaces.

The United Nations have recognised the need for climate justice with a new landmark resolution. The resolution should make it easier to hold high polluting countries legally accountable for failing to tackle the climate emergency, by allowing the International Court of Justice advisory to assess the legal obligations in non-binding treaties such as the Paris Agreement. The vote has been hailed a huge victory for youth Pacific climate activists, as the Pacific islands are vulnerable to extreme climate conditions despite contributing least to global greenhouse-gas emissions. Read more...

Another region that should be celebrating this resolution is Africa. Africa is one of the regions most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as droughts and floods. African countries have been calling for action and funding to support climate justice, including support for adaptation and mitigation measures. They argue that wealthy countries, which have contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions, should bear the greatest responsibility for funding these efforts. The African Union has called for the mobilization of $100 billion annually to support climate action and adaptation in Africa. Read more....

And whilst some nations in Africa have large and growing populations, future population size is not the primary factor behind planetary problems like climate change. Instead, humanity’s big problem is luxury carbon and biosphere consumption, not population, with the world's wealthiest 10% producing the largest material footprint. The places where population is rising fastest, have extremely small environmental footprints per person, relative to countries that reached peak population many decades ago. Read more....

As the IPCC’s latest report makes clear, averting the worst effects of climate change demands a profound economic transformation in the next decade. Achieving it will require a new social contract, based on a fairer distribution of wealth. The wealthiest 10% of the global population now command 52% of global income and hold 77% of global wealth, while the poorest 50% claim just 8% and 2%, Furthermore, the wealthiest households contribute up to 45% of consumption-based household GHG emissions, with the bottom 50% – four billion people, contribute just 13-15%. Read more....

A good example of the wealthiest consumption based GHG emissions is flights to attend conferences, with the average international conference attendee, producing about half the GHG that the average person emits in an entire year, just by attending a single event. There is however much a conference organiser can do to mitigate emissions, such as hosting an event digitally, i.e., an omnichannel approach, allowing hybrid (virtual and physical) attendance, providing smarter local transport options such as shuttle buses and more efficient use of air-conditioning. Read more....

In the meantime, high emitters need to take real action to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The European Union has announced that it will raise its target for renewable energy production, with a goal of generating 42.5% of its energy from renewables by 2030. The move is part of the EU's larger plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and marks a significant increase from its previous target of 32%. The new renewable energy target is expected to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change. Read more....

The increase of EU renewable energy targets is an example of the world reaching positive tipping points that accelerate the global net zero transition. Positive socio-economic tipping points can help increase the deployment of zero-emission solutions and drastically reduce emissions. The presence of a tipping point for a zero-emission solution depends crucially on the strength of reinforcing feedback loops, which can occur where there is a trend of clean technology cost reduction. These loops enable new technologies to become cost-competitive with high-carbon incumbents. Read more....

Take for instance, South Africa’s mining industry. South African mining companies are working to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact through the implementation of renewable energy sources (such as solar power) and the use of AI to optimise energy use and reduce waste. Additionally, some mining companies are exploring new revenue streams through chicken farming, using former mine sites for sustainable agriculture. Using more sustainable practices is necessary for the mining industry to remain competitive and meet sustainability goals. Read more....

However, recycling metals presents an opportunity for a positive tipping point that will accelerate emissions reduction in mining. There is great potential in recycling metals such as steel, copper, and lithium to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve natural resources. Increasing the recycling rates of these metals is critical to achieving a circular economy and meeting sustainability goals. It is crucial that government and industry collaborate to promote the development of recycling infrastructure and incentivize the adoption of sustainable practices. Read more....

Finally, we look at a study that shows companies with more women in leadership roles are less likely to engage in greenwashing. The study analysed the sustainability reports of companies in the S&P 1500 index and found that companies with a higher percentage of women on their boards were more likely to report accurate and transparent sustainability information. Greater gender diversity in leadership positions can promote a more comprehensive approach to sustainability and help companies avoid greenwashing. Read more....