COP26 will herald the gathering of global stakeholders in environmental sustainability and climate change, the COP26 conference in Glasgow next week is a huge endorsement and acceleration towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The world is inundated with salient reasons to take joint action against climate change which threatens future generations and the well-being of the planet. It is essential that the temperature of the planet be kept under control by limiting its increase to 1.5 degrees. Stakeholders are expected to produce less carbon than is being taken out of the atmosphere.
In recent times, news tabloids are agog with commitments by countries and corporate organisations setting targets towards emission controls, net-zero emissions, carbon neutrality, and other similar targets.
Carbon neutrality is a plan to achieve a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions either through a significant reduction in carbon and other greenhouse gasses emissions and/or carbon offsetting by eliminating emissions from the environment.
Carbon emissions have been aggravated due to massive industrialization by countries and corporates in more than a century. All countries are guilty one way or the other but the largest emitters of carbon and other greenhouse gasses are attributed to China, the United State of America, and
India.Fossil fuel has been burnt and utilized as a source of energy to propel cars, power businesses, and keep lights on in homes. As of today, oil, coal, and natural gas have been estimated to provide about 80 percent of our energy needs. The mining, drilling, and burning of natural gasses emit greenhouse gasses that are harming the environment and human health.
The case for renewable energy
The only way that our planet can overcome the excessive greenhouse gas emission that has aggravated climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, forest wildfires, desertification, soil water pollution, land degradation, and many other vices is to embrace renewable energy sources.
The installation of clean energy or renewable energy may initially be costly but in the long run, is worth the investment. Renewable energy sources are much cleaner than fossil fuels and, in some cases, like solar and wind power, they are totally clean sources of energy. It emanates from natural, unlimited sources, such as the sun, wind, and water, and can be harnessed in a way that is almost completely harmless to the environment.
Renewable energy sources are currently been engaged as solar energy, wind power, hydroelectricity, geothermal power, and biomass energy
Good news on the horizon
The unified voice towards reduced emissions, the chase towards carbon neutrality, increasing production of electric cars, tax credits for environmentally sustainable acts, and other socially responsible choices are good vibes that everyone is awakened towards the preservation of the planet. It is of urgent importance that the momentum on climate change be sustained by all, this is the best gift the current generation can give the future generation is a low carbon future. One can only hope that COP26 ends with actionable agreements.
