Amersham and Chalfonts Together January February 2023

THE YOUNG JOURNALIST ISSUE 12
United Nations Climate
Change Conference - COP27
COP27 began on Sunday 6th November
and focusses on environmental issues. This
conference happens annually and is this year in
Egypt. Leaders from around the world review
climate goals and unite over world changing
issues.
Those who went include; the UK Prime Minister,
Rishi Sunak, Alok Sharma (who went to COP26)
has been replaced by James Cleverly who
attended with Scotland’s first minister: Nicola
Sturgeon. Quoting the Independent, ‘More
controversially, from Mr Sunak’s point-of-view,
’Boris Johnson will be appearing as well’.
The list of those present got longer as the week
progressed, but some influential world leaders are
not attending. Vladimir Putin will not be there due
to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
What will they discuss?
We must realise the targets they set, are not going
to be met unless drastic action is taken. How long
before climate evacuees turn up searching for help?
What can we do to prepare for the worst, while
trying to prevent it at the same time? That is the
type of dilemma that the COP27 members will
face. The COP27 meeting is going to talk about
various things over the 10 days in Egypt. What they
talk about will shape the world’s future.
Global Temperature
Global temperatures have risen in the last 50
years. Climate.gov says “For the last 50 years,
global temperature rose at an average rate of
about 0.13°C”. It is supposably the eighth
warmest year on record. I suspect that they will
focus on this during COP27 with suggestions
on why this is and what this means for global
temperatures.
Helping other countries
Another topic the famous climate conference
might mention is how to help countries prepare
and deal with climate change. Afghanistan,
Japan, the Philippines and Germany are among
the many countries already struggling to deal with
climate change and what this government doing
to help That brings me into my next topic of
‘Climate Targets’.
Are the targets set realistic?
Since 2009 certain countries were promised
significant funding levels. This money was going
to go towards climate related issues and funding.
This target has not been met and due to the
current recession, probably will never be.
What does this mean?
All the points I have mentioned have something
in common: climate change. But what does
this COP27 meeting mean? Caroline Lucas, a
prominent member of the Green Party said on her
Twitter feed, “We are on a highway to climate hell
with our foot on the accelerator. Our planet is fast
approaching tipping point” She then goes on to
mention COP27 and how “it is the only thing we’ve
got”. Yet Greta Thunberg (the teenage climate
activist) said earlier in the week that COP27
was a “scam” that encouraged “cheating”,
“greenwashing” and “lying”.
In a few words COP27 is a climate conference
where influential leaders talk about the pressing
issue that is Climate Change. They talk about
global temperature and what to do about it and how
to prepare for climate refugees and yet the media do
not focus on this. All they care about is sweeping
up controversy and dividing countries when that is
exactly the opposite of what COP27 is about.
Sophie Hazzard is a keen writer at Amersham
School. Her favourite things are reading, writing
journalism and spending time with friends. She
hopes to be a journalist one day and influence
people through her writing.
Disclaimer
Please note: the opinions and findings expressed in this article are
solely those of the author and should not be assumed to be those of
Amersham and Chalfont Together or its affiliates.
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