World
End of deforestation: World leaders make big 2030 promise
Over 100 world leaders are set to commit to end and reverse deforestation by 2030, in the COP26 climate summit’s first major deal
Brazil, where large parts of the Amazon rainforest have been cut down, will be among the signatories collected on Tuesday, supporting the end of deforestation.
The pledge includes almost $19.2bn USD of public and private funds.
Experts have welcomed the move but many have warned a previous deal in 2014 had “failed to slow deforestation at all” and commitments needed to be delivered on, as promised this time.
Felling trees contributes to climate change because it depletes forests that absorb vast amounts of CO2 emissions.
The two-week long UN summit held in Glasgow is seen as critical – as world leaders unite to reveal their respected nation’s plans to act on climate action.
Who exactly will commit to deforestation?
Among the 100 countries who say they will sign the pledge include Brazil, Canada, Russia and Indonesia – each in which cover around 85% of the world’s forests.
Parts of the provided funding will go to developing countries to restore damaged land, tackle wildfires and support indigenous communities.
Governments of 28 countries will also commit to remove deforestation from the global trade of food and other agricultural products such as palm oil, soya and cocoa.
These industries drive forest loss by cutting down trees to make space for animals to graze or crops to grow.
More than 30 of the world’s biggest companies will commit to end investment programmes linked to deforestation.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is hosting the global meeting in Glasgow, has labeled the commitment as a “landmark agreement to protect and restore the earth’s forests”.
Todays actions building on tomorrows future:
US President Joe Biden addressed the summit on Monday, stating that the United States will “lead by example” when it comes to implementing actions, targets and measures that address climate action.
The President called on world leaders to unite on the agenda, warning no country can escape what is to come if policymakers fail to seize the opportunity of making a change to global emissions.
“Right now, we’re still falling short. There’s no more time to hang back or sit on the fence or argue amongst ourselves,”
Biden said.
Underwhelming G-20 summit
Biden’s arrival in Scotland’s largest city comes shortly after leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies appeared to fall short of meaningful climate pledges in Rome, Italy, over the weekend.
Rome’s G20 summit resulted in countries agreeing to pursue “meaningful and effective” action to cap global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius – that’s a threshold that is seen as critically important to avoid disaster.
However, the group offered few concrete actions to target climate change, with no explicit commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
North Korea has flown a missile over Japan for the first time in five years
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris did not mince her words when she paid a visit to the demilitarised zone last week.
“In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, rampant human rights violations and an unlawful weapons program that threatens peace and stability,” she said.
North Korea’s latest missile launch is the latest in a string of tests following Harris’ visit.
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida following Tuesday’s long-range missile. The pair condemned the test in the “strongest terms,” as they described it as a danger to the Japanese people.
Associate Professor Tilman Ruff from the University of Melbourne believes the threat of nuclear war has increased.
“This is clearly the time of greatest danger of nuclear war since the at least the Cuban missile crisis.”
North Korea has carried out over 30 missile tests this year, as authorities brace themselves for bigger weapon, which could reach the U.S. east coast.
in response to Tuesday’s test, South Korea and the U.S. fired a string of missiles into the East Sea.
5. The Musudan
The Musudan, or the Hwasong-10 is a medium-range ballistic missile, which has an estimated range of more than 4,000km.
The missile was first tested in October 2016 and is believed to be capable of reaching South Korea and Japan.
4. The KN-08
The KN-08 is a long-range ballistic missile, which boasts an estimated range of more than 6,000km.
While North Korea had two unsuccessful tests of this weapon in 2016, it was successfully tested in 2017.
3. The Pukguksong-2
The Pukguksong-2 is a medium-range ballistic missile, which has an estimated range of more than 2,000km.
This is a land-based variant of the Pukguksong-1 weapon, which is submarine-launched.
The missile was first tested in February of 2017 and is believed to be capable of reaching South Korea and Japan.
2. The Hwasong-14
The Hwasong-14 is North Korea’s first intercontinental ballistic missile. It is also one of their most powerful missiles, with an estimated range of more than 8,000km.
The missile was first tested in July 2017 and is believed to be capable of reaching New York.
1. The Hwasong-12
The latest missile test over Japanese territory is understood to be an intermediate-range Hwasong-12.
This ballistic missile has an estimated range of more than 4,500km, and is believed to be capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam in the Pacific.
North Korea’s missile tests have risen under the rule of its current leader, Kim Jong-Un. In fact, there have been more test launches this year, than in the previous decade alone.
“If anybody thought that the risk of nuclear war went away with the end of the Cold War, then these current concerns should put an end to any such complacency.”
Associate Professor Tilman Ruff, the University of Melbourne
There are also a range of other weapons in the North Korean inventory, including a nuclear bomb, which is believed to be six times bigger than what the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
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