Reaching the year 2022, the fight against climate change has gone through many changes. Some prime examples of this are the Paris Agreement, COP26, and Global Pact for the environment. In this article, we cover the key global events in 2022 that will influence public policy decisions and shape the crucial conversation around one of the most defining issues of our time.
UN | Doha, Qatar | Jan 23 – 27
UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are a group of 46 countries that range from Afghanistan to Zambia. They are home to around 13% of the global population and 40% of the world’s poorest people. They are extremely sensitive to a wide range of shocks, including economic, public health, and climate change. Likewise, they are disproportionately affected by extreme weather events and remain at the front line of climate catastrophe. Regrettably, they lack vital funding to promote climate-resilient infrastructure and initiatives.
The LDC5 conference, which takes place every ten years, will include a high-level thematic roundtable on climate change on January 25 to discuss the unique and pressing issues that LDCs encounter, along with the key elements required to boost economic growth without the sacrifice of our fragile ecosystem and natural resources.
IPCC | Global | Feb – Oct
Since the passage of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which releases evaluations of climate science every six to seven years, will release its first comprehensive assessment report.
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) will include contributions from three working groups led by some of the world’s top scientists on the physical understanding of the climate system and climate change (Working Group I – due out in August 2021), the impacts of climate change (Working Group II), and progress on mitigation and emission reduction efforts (Working Group III).
Working Group II Report | Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability | Feb 21
This paper will examine the effects of climate change on human and ecological systems, focusing on their vulnerabilities, adaptability, and constraints. It will investigate solutions for achieving a sustainable future by taking a fair and coordinated approach to mitigation and adaptation actions at all scales.
Working Group III Report | Mitigation of Climate Change| Mar 28
This report will look at innovation and solutions in energy and urban systems, as well as in sectors including agriculture, forestry, and land use, buildings, transportation, and industry, to reduce the catastrophic and variable consequences of climate change. It will examine the relationship between short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to reduce emissions, emphasizing the relevance of countries’ national action plans, also known as NDCs under the Paris Agreement.
Synthesis Report | Climate Change 2022 | Oct 3
Last but not least, the Synthesis report will be released before the event of COP27, including contributions from the three Working Groups as well as the Special Reports produced during the cycle – Global Warming under 1.5°C, Discussion about the Land and Climate Change, as well as the Ocean and Cryosphere under a Changing Climate.
UNFCCC | Dubai, UAE | Feb 28 – Mar 3
Middle East and North Africa Climate Week
The first-ever Middle East and North Africa Climate Week, hosted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is an important step forward in the run-up to COP27, which will be held in Egypt in November.
The climate week, hosted by the UAE government with backing from the UN and other international and national organizations, will focus on regional climate action and collaborations needed to develop climate-resilient economies and society, as well as integrating climate action into pandemic recovery. The Dubai Exhibition Center, which is presently holding Expo 2020, will host the main events.
UN | Kunming, China | Apr 25 – May 8
UN Biodiversity Conference (Part Two)
The United Nations Biodiversity Conference set to take place in Kunming, China in 2020, has been divided into two sections.
As a result, the Kunming Declaration was adopted. This declaration calls on countries to negotiate and agree on a global biodiversity framework, and the establishment of the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, which saw commitments from China, France, the European Union, Japan, and others in October 2021, helped to set the stage for the next meeting in the Spring of 2022.
With the acceptance of the framework that will alter our interaction with the natural world, the second half, which is slated to resume with in-person sessions, will signal a watershed moment for global biodiversity. It will feature 21 aims and ten “milestones” that must be met by 2030, with net improvements by 2050, including the conservation and preservation of at least 30% of the planet’s land and oceans.
KFS | Seoul, Republic of Korea | May 2 – 6
XV World Forestry Congress 2022
Deforestation-related emissions may be eliminated, and forest regrowth and landscape restoration might cut world net emissions by up to 30%. Forests might supply up to half of the cost-effective mitigation available over the next decade.
The XV World Forestry Congress, held by Korea Forest Service, Republic of Korea (KFS), will focus on six sub-themes, including reversing forest loss, sustainable use of nature-based solutions and forest resources, and forest monitoring and data collecting, under the slogan of “Forests: Creating a Green, Healthy, and Resilient Future.”
UN | Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire | May 9 – 21
15th UN Conference on Desertification
In 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change cautioned that around 500 million people live in desertified zones. Land degradation reduces productivity, limiting what may be farmed and lowering the soil’s ability to absorb carbon. Climate change and extreme weather events such as drought, heatwaves, and dust storms are exacerbated as a result, and climate change exacerbates land degradation in a variety of ways.
The forthcoming Conference on Desertification will be a rallying cry for further land restoration and nature-based climate solutions.
UN | Stockholm, Sweden | Jun 2 – 3
Stockholm+50
The first international environment conference, held fifty years ago, was essential in bringing attention to the inextricable aims of poverty alleviation and environmental conservation – a relationship that has affected climate discussions ever since, recognizing the links between humanity and nature.
As a result of the conference, environmental diplomacy was born, with the goal of reconciling economic development with environmental management, paving the way for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the notion of sustainable development. It also led to the establishment of national environmental ministries as well as a slew of new global environmental accords.
Today, UNEP will host Stockholm+50 with Sweden and Kenya to commemorate five decades of work to strengthen environmental diplomacy, standards, and practices, with the goal of recommitting and strengthening our ability to overcome the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
UN-Habitat | Katowice, Poland | Jun 26 – 30
World Urban Forum 11
By 2050, a half-meter rise in sea level and worsening storm surges may affect 800 million people in 570 coastal towns. More than 1.6 billion urban dwellers may be subjected to summer temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius as a result of global warming. Despite the rising hurdles, cities have been at the forefront of the climate movement, with over 1,000 cities recently announcing their aim to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The next World Urban Forum, themed Transforming our Cities for a Better Urban Future, will provide a chance to examine the future of cities in light of current trends, problems, and possibilities, as well as how they might be better equipped to deal with current and future shocks.
UN | Lisbon, Portugal | Jun 27 – July 1
The United Nations Ocean Conference
Climate change, pollution, loss of natural habitat, and other damaging human activities are wreaking havoc on the ocean. The next Ocean Conference, which is set to take place in 2022, will be the UN’s second high-level summit on the topic.
The conference, which is being organized with the support of the governments of Portugal and Kenya, will be a call to action for ocean action, urging global leaders and all relevant sectors to increase ambition, mobilize partnerships, and invest in science-driven and innovative approaches to reverse the decline in ocean health.
It will also serve as a rallying cry for communities, corporations, and people to do their part in reducing marine pollution and committing to responsible ocean resource usage.
UN | Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt | Nov 7 – 18
UN Climate Change Conference (COP27)
In 2022, the annual UN Climate Change Conference will be held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. It will help to progress global climate negotiations, galvanize action, and give a unique chance to examine the effects of climate change on Africa.
The State of the Climate in Africa 2020, a report produced by the World Meteorological Organization and partners, warned of the continent’s disproportionate vulnerability, forecasting that up to 118 million severely poor Africans may be vulnerable to drought, floods, and high heat by 2030. As a result, efforts toward poverty reduction and economic growth will be hampered, leaving more people in deep and widespread poverty.
According to the analysis, climate adaptation investments in Sub-Saharan Africa would cost between $30 and $50 billion each year over the next decade, or around two to three percent of GDP – enough to spur job creation and economic development while ensuring a sustainable and green recovery.
Conclusion
As you can see, many changes to the fight against climate change have happened, which will drastically change the whole campaign in the favor of environmentalists. Plans like reducing emissions, reforestation, and reconciling economic development need to move forward to the next level, so it’s no surprise we will see more of them in the years to come. Hope that these big cities and events will be the role model that encourages the whole world.
