Environmental groups call for postponement of climate talks – KIRO 7 News Seattle

LONDON – (AP) – A coalition of environmental groups has called for a crucial climate conference to be postponed amid concerns that many of those hardest hit by global warming will not be able to attend due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

Activists said Tuesday that organizers had not done enough to ensure widespread attendance at the event by providing access to vaccines and facing rising travel costs for people from developing countries, many of whom are subject to UK government travel restrictions. The UN climate summit, known as COP26, is scheduled for October 31 through November. 12 in Scotland.

“Our concern is that the countries hardest hit by the climate crisis and those countries suffering from the lack of support from rich nations in delivering vaccines will be left out of the talks,” said Tasneem Essop, executive director of the Climate Action Network . which includes 1,500 groups in 130 countries. “There has always been an inherent power imbalance at the UN climate talks, which is now being exacerbated by the health crisis.”

But the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a group of 48 countries most at risk from climate change, later said a personal summit must take place as planned to ensure the world responds to a threat that is “unprecedented in the history of the world Humanity “is.

The dispute over postponement comes just weeks after an international panel of climate scientists urged world leaders to warn them that time is running out to avert the worst effects of climate change. The COP26 is seen as a critical step in convincing governments, industry and investors around the world to make binding commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The meeting was originally scheduled for last year but has been postponed due to the pandemic.

“Of course, every country needs to be given the opportunity to participate in COP26, but any further postponement at this point could have very serious repercussions by undermining the momentum for action against climate change,” said Bob Ward, Policy Director of the Grantham Institute on Climate change and the environment in London.

The Climate Action Network, which includes groups like Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International, called for a postponement, saying the organizers had not done enough to ensure widespread participation. Many of these countries are subject to UK government restrictions that require travelers to undergo expensive tests and quarantines before entering the country.

But the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a grouping of the countries most at risk from climate change, said the summit should go ahead as planned in hopes of rebuilding international cooperation on tackling climate change.

“COP26 must take place in person in October-November 2021 with robust COVID-19 measures …” The group announced in a statement. “This is the most important meeting for the future of the planet and it cannot wait.”

The UK government, which is hosting the event, declined requests to postpone it, saying that leaders must address the issue of climate change immediately.

“We work tirelessly with all of our partners, including the Scottish Government and the UN, to ensure an inclusive, accessible and safe summit in Glasgow with comprehensive measures to contain COVID,” said COP26 President-elect Alok Sharma in a Explanation .

World leaders, climate activists and activists from around the world will attend the conference, which is expected to attract more than 20,000 people from nearly 200 countries. Queen Elizabeth II and Pope Francis are also expected in person.

British officials are working on COVID-19 minutes for the conference that would ease travel restrictions for some delegates.

The rules allow both vaccinated and unvaccinated delegates from so-called Red List countries to enter the UK after five days of self-isolation. More than 60 countries are currently on the government’s red list due to concerns about infection numbers. Most travel from these countries is prohibited and those entering the UK must spend 10 days in a government approved hotel at their own expense.

The discussion took place on the day the European Union’s climate monitoring service said the average temperatures across the continent this summer were the warmest ever.

Measurements from the EU’s Copernicus satellite monitoring program showed that June through August temperatures across Europe were about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1991-2020 average and 0.1 degrees Celsius warmer than the previous record of the Summer 2010 and 2018.

Especially in the Mediterranean countries there were record temperatures this summer as well as devastating forest fires, which led Greece to appoint a new Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection this week.

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The associated press writer Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.

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