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Weekly Short
14 January, 2022
New year’s resolutions are set. Veganuary is in full swing. We’re all gearing up for a bigger, better (dare we hope less Covid-y?) 2022. This year should also be a pivotal one for climate action, serving as a critical opportunity to build on the momentum created by COP 26 in Glasgow.
So, what can we expect from 2022? The UN has provided a handy summary of key dates to watch out for this year. It includes the publication of three additional reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change covering the impact of climate change on humans and the planet, a review of efforts to mitigate climate change, and synthesis report summarising their findings. Reports are due in February, April, and September respectively.
This year will also see the natural world take centre stage, with the delayed UN Biodiversity Conference kicking off in China in April. As the world’s focus increasingly turns to the impact of human activity on global ecosystems, a new approach to protecting biodiversity is on the horizon. Other nature-related events to look forward to in May include the World Forestry Congress in Korea and the UN Conference on Desertification in Cote d’Ivoire. In June, attention turns to the ocean at the UN Ocean Conference, which will be a call for the world to mobilise investment in and focus efforts on approaches to improved world ocean health.
Finally, in November the world will convene for yet another COP, this time in Egypt. Building on the talks held in Glasgow, COP27 should see countries revisit and strengthen their climate pledges, setting out ambitious emissions reduction goals.
All in all, 2022 promises to be an exciting year for climate and environmental action. We’re marking our calendars – so should you!
By Louise Podmore