Today world leaders from more than 100 countries have descended on Paris in what many consider one of the last remaining attempts to stall the growing problem climate change. The leaders will be joined by some of the world’s leading scientists, who for decades have urged countries to scale back the emission of greenhouse gases to stave off a slew of unprecedented consequences.
The 21st Conference of the Parties, or COP21 is set to feature talks from the leaders of the world’s worst polluting countries, namely United States President Barack Obama, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Narendra Modi.
This is a very important meeting environmentalists hope officials will come away from the summit with a sweeping plan to curb emissions and increase investment in renewable energy without any negative economic impacts, because climate action is a sound investment.
This is an interesting time for the conference sine in 2014 the world has shattered record after climate record, with last year ranking as the hottest year in recorded history. The planet’s glaciers are melting at the fastest rates ever seen. Underwater, coral reefs are suffering from an assault of bleaching, spurred by oceans growing warmer each year.
Even if all of the nations meeting in Paris would choose to curtail carbon emissions, a growing number of communities will be exposed to threats caused by climate change. Vulnerable populations that live near water or in arid places will face massive disruptions to their way of life. Meanwhile, flooding and severe drought are on course to become much more common.
Don’t expect any major announcements to come from this summit but there will likely be plenty of small deals that will made to help slowdown climate problems. There is hope that the small deals done will lead to bigger ones in the years to come.
LIVE COVERAGE PROVIDED IN ENGLISH BY FRANCE 24
