Parties at COP28 are challenged to follow the leadership of their counterparts at COP5 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury who recently made a landmark decision.
On November 3, just over a month ago, 147 Parties agreed to phase out all fluorescent lamps by 2027; effectively paving the way for a seamless transition to mercury-free and energy-efficient LED lamps.
This decision will, cumulatively by 2050:
- Avoid 2.7 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide emissions,
- Save USD 1.13 trillion on electricity bills, and
- Eliminate 158 tonnes of mercury pollution, both from the light bulbs themselves and from avoided mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Overwhelming evidence generated by research conducted in up to 60 countries by the Clean Lighting Coalition highlighted the incontestable health, economic, environment, climate, and technology benefits of transitioning to LED lamps.
It was also a matter of environmental justice. As countries in the Global North legislate the phase out of fluorescents without halting their manufacture, countries in the Global South become targets for the dumping of these toxic products.
In the face of such compelling evidence, any attempt to present counter arguments supporting the continuation of fluorescents, due to pressure from manufacturers, became untenable.
Remarkably, it took less than three years to adopt this landmark decision from the time the amendment to the Minamata Convention to eliminate fluorescents was introduced.
This ambitious decision from COP5 has implications for Parties here at COP28. How will you rise to this challenge and come up with an even bolder decision, given the ongoing climate crisis?
Here’s one recommendation:
- Deliver a comprehensive energy package which enables a fast, fair, full and funded phase out of all fossil fuels, starting with an immediate end to fossil fuel expansion.
Just like the need to phase out fluorescents, the evidence and ensuing benefits of saying farewell to fossil fuels, which include limiting global warming to 1.5°C, are incontestable, Parties at COP28 are urged to rise to the challenge and make this decision. The global community expects nothing less!