As Ministers wrap up the Talanoa Dialogue discussions today, ECO hopes that the process will lead to an ambitious COP decision and real transformation back home, to meet the 1.5°C target.
The IPCC Special Report has shown us the importance of the 1.5°C target. It has provoked a lot of new thought, prompting ECO to ask what roles the different sectors should play.
ECO reminds Parties that there is nothing to be scared of. Reaching the 1.5°C goal is technically feasible. It can be done in ways that can safeguard equity, food security, ecosystems and rights.
To help generate more excitement and action for the Talanoa Dialogue and real-world outcomes, ECO would like to throw some new ingredients into the mix; and we’re not just talking about a few extra cups of Kava, the Fijian drink that lubricated the early Talanoa Dialogues at COP23.
The recent IPCC report draws a red line on energy: the 1.5°C goal is only feasible if we rapidly phase out fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy. This means that coal must be fully phased out and renewables deployed to provide for global electricity by 2050. All Parties need to deploy energy efficiency policies to reduce consumption. The world needs to tackle its oil addiction by rapidly electrifying transport and banning the sale of fossil fuel cars; British Columbia announced its intention to do so this COP, joining several countries and regional governments. All these components are part of this essential energy revolution.
Recent studies, based on the latest available science, show that equitably restructuring food systems by taking a “less and better” approach to agricultural production and consumption, especially meat and dairy products, could make a major contribution to reducing global emissions.
Further, protecting and restoring the world’s natural biodiverse ecosystems could not only provide a key role in sequestering and stabilising carbon in the biosphere, but also avoid additional emissions on a vast scale.
These are just a few examples of what is possible, and ECO looks forward to more inspiring pathways being elaborated and envisioned in the year to come.
We remind Parties that the IPCC report said: to limit warming to 1.5°C the transformation must take place with massive scale and speed. And although the scale of the transformation would be unprecedented, the speedof transformation has real precedents. We should find hope in this.
ECO hopes Ministers will return from COP24 energised and excited to drive the transformation at home. Let’s make Talanoa transformations happen in the real world.
