S1E59: COP26 @ Glasgow, the last chance climate saloon?: Green Pulse Ep 59

Oct 3, 2021

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Green Pulse Ep 59: COP26 @ Glasgow, the last chance climate saloon?

18:04 min

Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

In less than two months, delegates from around the world will gather in Glasgow, Scotland, for one of the most important climate conferences ever held. Called COP26, the meeting aims to agree an ambitious global deal to step up the fight against climate change -- from deeper emissions cuts to more climate cash for poorer nations.

A deal in Glasgow is urgent. Recent extreme weather events have shown no nation can escape nature’s wrath, but poorer nations remain the most vulnerable because they have the least defences and cash to rebuild. So what are the chances COP26 will be a success? And will poorer nations finally get the resources they need?

In this episode, ST environment correspondent Audrey Tan and climate change editor David Fogarty talk to Dr Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), who is a leading climate scientist from Bangladesh and has many years experience with the UN climate talks process. He is also an expert on the impacts of climate change on poorer nations and the urgent needs they face to adapt, and build resilience, to more extreme weather and rising sea levels.

They discuss the following points:

Key issues to be discussed at this year’s COP26 in November (2:30)
What bearing will recent extreme weather events have on the international negotiations? (5:30)
The evolution of climate talks and the key issues that came up at each stage. (7:21)
The concept of loss and damage has gained prominence recently. What does this mean exactly? (8:48)
What is the controversy surrounding climate finance, and why is this important? (11:07)
What are the concerns from climate activists about the participation of developing countries at COP26? (15:18)

Produced by: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg), David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis & Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

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