Climate change, emissions, net-zero to remain in focus at UNGA 2022
As the world continues to reel under the impact of extreme weather events heightened by climate change, the issue is set to dominate the United National General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The 77th session of the UNGA is underway in the United States and the high-level meetings will kick in from Monday.
The meetings are being held in the shadow of extreme weather events ravaging several parts of the world. From the biblical floods in Pakistan to devastating droughts in China and Europe, climate change-related environmental issues have not only worsened but have also become more frequent.
The UN in a release said that this year’s theme, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”, “acknowledges the shared roots of crises such as COVID-19, climate change, and conflict—and the need for solutions that build global sustainability and resilience.”
EMISSIONS, NET ZERO TO BE DISCUSSED
Countries are repeatedly failing to meet emission targets and the looming energy crisis in Europe due to the ongoing Ukrainian conflict with Russia is set to worsen the situation. It is worth mentioning that ambitious net zero targets are key for reducing global carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions to net zero around 2050 and 2070 respectively.
Climate activists, policymakers, sustainability professionals, and world leaders are expected to discuss how the path to net zero can be accelerated. Meanwhile, discussions on the impact of climate in the context of the geopolitics of the world are also tabled for discussion. The UN will be organising a panel on discussions around what bold choices are needed now to keep the promise of peace, prosperity, and the Paris Agreement? And, how do we stop global security and energy concerns from being used against the net zero transition?
PM MODI TO MISS UNGA THIS YEAR
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not attending the current session of the UNGA and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has been listed as the official speaker for India at the event. He arrived in New York on Sunday for the high-level session, with a packed diplomatic week ahead that will include more than 50 official engagements including bilateral, plurilateral, and multilateral meetings.
Counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, reformed multilateralism, climate action, and equitable access to COVID19 vaccines will be among the key focus areas for India during the high-level UN General Assembly session that begins this week here.
PM Modi addressed the session in 2021 during which he touched upon key issues such as Covid-19, vaccine manufacturing in India, and the rightful use of ocean resources among others.