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October 2021 – Mike Landy – COP26: humanity’s moment of truth?’
19th October 2021 @ 10:36 pm
Tuesday 19th October 2021
Mike Landy
COP26: humanity’s moment of truth?’
“Code red for humanity” declared the Secretary General of the UN following publication in August of the latest IPCC report on the status of climate science, which drew from over 14,000 peer-reviewed studies. Its verdict: human influence is “unequivocal”, resulting in widespread and significant impacts. One need only follow the daily news for evidence of its increasing toll.
This November, Glasgow hosts the 26th annual meeting of the almost 200 countries seeking to agree how to limit the resulting global warming and adapt to its impacts. Known as COP26, this crucial meeting has already been delayed by a year due to the pandemic. The Paris Accord in 2015 (COP21) agreed that countries would seek to limit the global temperature rise to less than 2°C above pre-industrial, and preferably to within 1.5°C. However the voluntary emission reduction pledges made so far by countries fall well short of what is required to achieve that. The scientific evidence says that the world must halve carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve “net zero” by 2050. COP26 is crunch time – humanity’s last real chance to agree how to reverse the remorseless rise in temperature and achieve the Paris goals.
Mike’s presentation will summarise the current position and explain COP26’s pivotal role, with the UK chairing the process. Can countries summon the political will in what often seems like a high-stakes poker game? Can humanity wean itself off its addiction for fossil fuels? Can it happen soon enough to avert runaway global warming? Who bears the costs of adaptation? There is no doubt now that the fate of future generations depends on it.
Mike Landy
Following a chemistry degree from Bristol University, Mike spent five years with the British Antarctic Survey as a glaciologist, working on the continent’s climate and pollution history. After four years in the aluminium and chemicals industry he took an MSc in Energy Studies and spent the remainder of his career working on the energy sector’s transition to low carbon. Most of that time was in support of government renewable energy and energy efficiency programmes, based at Harwell with the UKAEA and then AEA Technology. The last five years of his career were with renewable energy trade associations in London, focusing on achieving a supportive policy framework for renewable energy technologies, in particular solar energy. Since retiring in 2016, Mike has closely followed the climate debate and indulged his love of the great outdoors.