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On her third day at COP26, the island's Head of Sustainability and Foresight reflects on 'energy day' and finds room for cautious optimism.
Thousands of political leaders, civil servants, businesses, NGOs and campaigners are in Glasgow this week for the climate change summit - billed as the last chance to steer the planet away from catastrophic and irreversible global warming.
Jersey sent a small delegation to the conference, including External Relations Minister Senator Ian Gorst and Dr Louise Magris, the Government's Head of Sustainability and Foresight, who is the leading civil servant on the island's plans to decarbonise.
Express asked Dr Magris to write a blog on her experiences in Glasgow this week.
Here's her third update...
Today was 'energy day' and the talk is of how we transform energy systems - the fundamental jigsaw piece in decarbonisation.
COP26 is an emotional rollercoaster. In a long career in ‘environment’, I have frequently felt grief for the climate and biodiversity crisis, anger that those least responsibility for climate change are experiencing its worst effects, and great sadness for future generations who have to find their way in a changed world.
But today, I allowed myself to feel cautiously optimistic.
The announcement that more than 40 countries pledge to quit coal by 2030 (for major economies) is a crucial step. The stages and discussions rooms were flooded with the serious and respected leaders in climate and energy and listening to them speak directly is invaluable.
Pictured: Farhana Yamin, one of the main architects of the Paris net-zero agreement, speaking in Glasgow.
I attended a panel talk led by Fatih Birol, the Director of the International Energy Agency. He was flanked, among others, by Farhana Yamin, one of the main architects of the Paris net-zero agreement.
I heard Fatih confirm that IF countries achieve their Glasgow carbon reduction targets, then global temperatures could be stabilised at around 1.8 degrees. These announcements aren’t hope or dreams - these are based on scientific evidence, analysis, and market and industry analysis from thousands of professionals.
The ‘if’ is the big one though. Laurence Tubiana is CEO of the European Climate Foundation and noted soberly that since the announcements in Paris in 2016, there have been broken promises and if the pledged financing did not materialise, the G20 big emitters would again fail to deliver on Glasgow.
While the financing day yesterday was positive, only history will judge us and time is not on our side.
Pictured: A cartoon spotted by Dr Magris at the conference.
So back to Jersey and what we can do - the Minister for External Relations officially announced with Minister Greg Hands Minister of State for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change the UK’s intention to extend UK ratification of the Paris Agreement to the Crown Dependencies.
Jersey’s Carbon Neutral Roadmap will be published in December and show how we propose helping Islanders to reduce our emissions by at least 68% by 2030 and 78% by 2035 while keeping Carbon Neutral at 2030 as an important milestone along the way.
Pictured: A poster illustrating a solution to the climate emergency.
Aligning with the Paris Agreement signals to the world that Jersey stands shoulder to shoulder with the international community in the climate emergency.
It was a long and poignant day but when I finally got to bed it felt like I’d be part of something that truly mattered and could be hopeful.
COP26 BLOG #1: How green is your lunch?
