the Conference of the Parties 30 (Thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the Convention United Nations Framework Convention on Climate ChangeIt concluded last Saturday, the 22nd of this month Belem The results were much lower than those announced, meaning that they would represent a shift towards a much more sustainable global economy in the long term. The frustration is greater every year.
We must recognize the exhaustion of the climate summit process. The once main stage of collective ambition and hope has turned into an exhausting dance: endless negotiations, illegible documents, and impractical declarations. The slowness of multilateral diplomacy is the hallmark of this process.
The general consensus rule tends to produce lowest common denominator results; he Paris Agreement (AFP)It is as good an initial framework as it can be, and has highlighted state commitments that are partly inadequate and characterized by little clarity in objectives or accountability mechanisms; The commitment to mobilize US$100 billion annually to finance initiatives has been fulfilled belatedly and partially; The pervasive lobby in the fossil industries erodes trust. The choice of petro-states as hosts and restricted civilian spaces raises suspicions; There is noticeable social fatigue after decades of meetings.
We must admit, however, that consecutive Persistent organic pollutants They contributed to creating a common language, systems of transparency, and common goals and agreements that stimulated markets and policies. It has strengthened sectoral agreements (methane, deforestation), promoted the goal of tripling renewables and doubling efficiency this decade, and has timidly introduced a mandate to move away from fossil fuels.
Beyond the need to reform the climate process, we must remember that environmental transformation will not happen at international summits or in public offices, but through the development of the social economy. Governments must promote this transformation by using clear rules of the game and creating effective incentives. But it is the economic actors themselves who will implement the necessary changes. In this sense, the organization of art. 6 of APwhich allows for the development of carbon markets where financing can be mobilized for greenhouse gas mitigation projects, whether in Section 2, which deals with bilateral agreements, or Section 4, which establishes the multilateral system.
This transformation opens broad business opportunities by reshaping value chains and consumer preferences: renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electrification; Sustainable mobility and charging infrastructure; circular economy; regenerative agriculture and nature-based solutions; Footprint measurement and verification technologies, carbon accounting and tracking software; Water and climate resilience; new markets such as green hydrogen or green bonds and sustainable finance; Climate compliance, as a tool for transparency and internalization of risks and costs. In addition, there is a growing convergence between the agenda of decarbonizing the economy and the agenda of protecting biodiversity.
These are the advantages for those who provide effective and verifiable solutions, with access to capital and brand differentiation, reducing risks and costs and opening up exports in the context of innovation and job creation.
In short, it is not about abandoning the climate process, but rather about reimagining it into a more efficient system of implementation and financing. To emphasize the motivation that comes “from below”, from the economic actors themselves, where the battle will be decided.