Need for a Forest led COP27

What is the issue?

A study published in the journal Science said earth may have already passed through five dangerous tipping points due to the 1.1°C of global heating caused by humanity to date.

What has the study pointed out?

A study published in the Science journal has stated that a rise of 1.5°C from pre-industrial levels can trigger multiple climate tipping points.
Climate tipping points- CTPs are markers of a larger climate system which when triggered beyond a threshold, perpetuate warming on its own.
Some CTPs triggers include
- Substantial sea level rise from melting ice sheets
- Shrinking of Amazon rainforest or corals
- Warming from carbon release due to melting of permafrost
Observations have shown that parts of the West Antarctic ice sheet may have already passed the tipping point.
Though the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had stated that a rise of 2°C from pre-industrial levels can trigger the tipping points, even 1°C rise has triggered some unavoidable tipping points.
As a result, the goal of UN’s Paris Agreement to limit warming at 1.5-2°C will not be able to avoid the disastrous effects of climate change.

Is technology the only way out for climate related challenges?

In 2019, approximately 34% of total net anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions came from the energy sector, 24% from industry, 22% from agriculture, forestry and other land use, 15% from transport and 6% from buildings.

Technology has become a survival strategy for our species, but technology alone is unprepared to deal with the challenge.
Effects of technology- Norman Borlaug ushered in the Green Revolution, which fed billions of people and increased yields but tackling its effects requires much more time.
Supply mismatch- The technological optimism fuelled at COP26 Glasgow depends on 3 resources – nelectricity, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and biomass.

Sector	Current Status	Requirement as per COP26
Nelectricity	4kWh/day per person	32kWh/day per person
Carbon capture and storage	6kg per person per year	3600kg per person per year
Biomass	100kg plant-based food per person per year (to eat)	200kg of additional harvest (for producing enough bio-kerosene)

Issues with clean energy- A study has found that the world would need a nuclear plant’s worth of clean-energy capacity every day between 2000 and 2050 to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Climate commitments- Tech-centric mitigation conversations leave out forest subjects such as conservation.
Even the deforestation-ending climate commitment at COP26 was vague.
The countries may easily attempt to achieve their ‘net zero deforestation goals’ through monoculture farming.

Technology, at best, can assist us, not lead us, on the pathway to a sustainable, regenerative and equitable world.

What is the need for a forest led COP 27?

Significance of forests - Forests are home to 80% of terrestrial wildlife.
Forests absorb a net 7.6 billion metric tonnes of CO2 a year.
Their biophysical aspects have a tendency to cool the earth by an additional 0.5%.
The conservation of forests, along with other nature-based solutions, can provide up to 37% of the emissions reductions needed to tackle climate change.
Studies suggest that green infrastructure (salt marshes and mangroves) are 2-5 times cheaper than grey infrastructure (breakwaters).
Need for forest led COP 27- Since, the climate crisis is intertwined with other complex issues, multi-pronged, interconnected climate solutions need to be assessed.
As land serves as a large CO2 sink (according to IPCC Land Report), there is a need to conserve natural sinks, improve biodiversity protection and restore the ecosystems.
For tackling climate crisis in an equitable and cost-effective way, the earth’s cyclical processes can be preserved by protecting terrestrial ecosystems and natural sinks under local communities.

References

Quick facts

Nelectricity- Non-emitting electricity generated by hydropower, renewables or nuclear fission.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - Created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Objective- To provide governments at all levels with scientific information that they can use to develop climate policies.
The IPCC is an organization of governments that are members of the United Nations or WMO.
The IPCC currently has 195 members.
IPCC reports are a key input into international climate change negotiations.

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