Discussion on accelerating greenhouse gas reduction at COP31 from next month 9th - Support for developing countries will also be an issue

The 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) will be held in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9th to discuss global warming countermeasures. With the goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in jeopardy, the focus is on whether countries can accelerate their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Another challenge is to strengthen support for developing countries that are more susceptible to the effects of climate change. The exhibition period ends on the 20th.

In September, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released a report stating that the global average temperature has already risen by 1.4 degrees Celsius and is expected to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius within the next few years. He warned that it will be difficult to achieve the 1.5 degrees Celsius target set out in the Paris Agreement, an international framework for combating global warming, and that greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced quickly and significantly to minimize damage.

In order to reduce greenhouse gases, Turkey, which is hosting COP31, has proposed a goal of increasing the share of electricity in global energy consumption (electrification rate) from the current 20% to 35% by 2035. Reduce dependence on fossil fuels by switching from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) and encourage the expansion of electricity derived from renewable energy sources. The idea is to include it in the agreement, but opposition from oil-producing countries is expected.

Abnormal weather events are occurring one after another around the world, including a record heat wave hitting Europe. A large-scale debris flow disaster occurred in the border area between Nepal and China, causing severe damage. The Nepali government says the disaster is caused by climate change, stressing, ``We did not create this crisis, but we are paying a huge price.'' It called for funding from a United Nations fund that supports developing countries suffering "loss and damage" caused by climate change.

To date, countries and regions including Japan have pledged $822 million (approximately 130 billion yen) to the fund, which was established in 2022, but developing countries are requesting further funding. With the US withdrawing from the fund under the Trump administration and concerns about funding shortages growing, a Ministry of the Environment official said, ``Rather than just increasing the amount, it will be difficult to have a constructive discussion unless we consider a system that includes the use of private funds.''