The year 2021 is a crucial year in fighting climate change.
2020 was hijacked by Covid-19 and efforts were directed to mitigating the ravaging pandemic as other activities got affected in one way or the other.
So is to say that climate change was not addressed fully as anticipated in the year 2020.
Many programmes were halted to look into the ‘immediate emergency’ at hand.
Instead, more resources and research was employed to bring solution to the spread of the Covid-19. Now we are in 2021. More hopes are dawning.
We are anticipating an effective Covid-19 vaccine this year. This means that the globe will be rolling back to the norm addressing the challenges facing us today.
As far as climate change is concerned, this year more gains are expected to yield. To begin with, there will be a very important conference taking place in November 2021, in Glasgow for the successor to the landmark Paris meeting of 2015.
World leaders will be gathering to discuss matters about climate change. They’ll look into the progress made after the presiding conference in Paris 2015 where literally all nations agreed to maintain global warming below 2 celicius degrees of the pre-industrial period while aiming to reach 1.5 celicius degrees.
Covid-19disrupted the very meeting from happening and caused its postponement to this year. After the conference in Paris, all parties agreed to meet after every 5 years to deliberate on the achievements.
But the outbreak of coronavirus led to the disruption of the events in various sectors leading to the postponement of this very important meeting. The convention of all parties this year in regard to climate change shades light on the possibilities of making more strides in winning the war against climate change.
Cheap renewable energy
In an effort to cut down emissions of carbon to the atmosphere, companies and individuals are opting for cheap renewable energy. The International Energy Agency concluded in October 2020 that it’s cheaper to start power generating stations using renewable energy compared to fossils. This gives greener hope for more investment into renewable energy in 2021 thus reducing the release of carbon.
In Kenya, industrial users and mega organizations as well as businesses are opting to install generated solar power that are said to be more efficient than grid power from the Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC). The move that joggled up the giant company in distributing electricity power in Kenya is a true realization on how much green energy is taking revolutionizing everything in electricity generation.
Year of climate action
In November 2020, a UK delegation reaffirmed their committed effort to the UK-Kenya partnership in fighting climate change and their strategic relationship while launching the climate year of action. The UK new support in the fight against climate change underlays sustainable development strategies and recovery post COVID-19 to restore green nature.
Also it opens up new financing opportunities to training and educating groups and society in issues related to climate change and financing climate change programmes as it was explained by the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya Dr. Patrick Njoroge. The initiative will create insight to society on what is required at this hour.
Covid-19 influence
The coronavirus pandemic is an indefinite eye opener to policy makers and strategists of all spheres. The world has learnt that unprecedented actions are needed to eradicate climate change. It’s evident how possible it is to work together towards a common goal. Climate change is a global challenge and needs global attention in making deliberate choices and investing more resources for a better tomorrow.
New wave in leadership
More countries are subscribing to carbon mitigations. Major economies from the west such as the European Union, the UK and China from Asia are taking the battle head on.
Equally, president elect Joe Biden of the United States of America has expressed his concern on climate change. He has promised to join hands with the rest of the world in fighting climate change.
His sentiments are significant to achieve this global goal. As estimated by the UN a total of over 110 countries have set net zero targets for mid-century, a figure representing more than 65% of global emissions and more than 70% of the world’s economy. This is a major step to taming climate change in 2021.
La Niña phenomenon
The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle plays a vital role in regulating global temperatures. The cycle divided into a warm face known as El Niño and a cold phase referred to as La Niña.
The phenomenon takes place in the east-central Equatorial Pacific. This year, the La Nina effect will give a cooling breeze to the rising global temperatures.
Although it won’t be equaled to previous years such as 1998, its effect won’t be under estimated amidst an intensified emission of greenhouse gases.
As climate change remains a challenge for decades, this year will be in the spotlight in anticipation of making positive gains.
