Switzerland is feeling hopeful about the upcoming World Climate Conference, even with the tough geopolitical climate. Felix Wertli, the Swiss environmental ambassador, believes that international cooperation is key. “It’s a win that so many countries are joining forces despite the challenges,” he shared with the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Ten years ago, the world agreed on the Paris Climate Agreement. Starting November 10, almost 200 nations will gather in Belém, Brazil, to discuss how to move this agreement forward. At the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 30), Switzerland is urging all nations to set ambitious new targets for reducing carbon emissions, especially those that produce the most.
The Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius, ideally at 1.5 degrees, compared to pre-industrial levels. Countries are expected to update their climate goals every five years. This year, those updated targets will be crucial to the talks. Wertli emphasized the need to evaluate progress and identify areas for improvement to meet the 1.5-degree goal.
Switzerland announced its new targets earlier this year. By 2035, the country aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65% from 1990 levels and by an average of 59% between 2031 and 2035. They plan to achieve this mainly through domestic efforts.
An important focus for the Swiss delegation is increasing international investment in climate protection and encouraging the private sector to play a bigger role. Another significant topic at COP 30 will be how countries can adapt to climate change. There’s a push for creating clear metrics that can be applied globally to measure this adaptation.
Wertli acknowledged that climate action is not as urgent a priority for many nations today as it was a few years ago, which is a tough hurdle to overcome. However, he noted a positive sign: since the U.S. withdrew from the agreement during Donald Trump’s presidency, no other country has done the same.
While there has been progress over the past decade, Wertli cautioned that we aren’t on track to meet the 1.5-degree target yet. “In 2015, we were heading toward 4 degrees of warming. Now, we’re looking at 2.3 to 2.8 degrees,” he pointed out.
To bring additional context, a recent study revealed that 70% of climate scientists believe aggressive action is necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change. This highlights the urgency of the discussions at the upcoming conference. It will be vital for nations to not only commit to their new targets but also to take concrete steps to achieve them.
Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti will also attend COP 30, participating in key meetings during the conference. With various countries represented, the hope is that shared goals will bring renewed momentum in the fight against climate change.
