Fossil Fuels
UN Agencies
At COP (Conference of the Parties) meetings, United Nations (UN) organizations and Specialized Agencies play key roles in supporting global climate action and negotiations. These entities, such as the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), and WMO (World Meteorological Organization), provide scientific expertise, policy guidance, and technical support. They help facilitate discussions, share data on climate impacts, and assist countries in developing strategies to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. Their involvement is crucial in advancing the goals of international climate agreements like the Paris Agreement.
Stance on Fossil Fuels
The United Nations Agencies acknowledges that the current consumption patterns are putting great stress on natural resources. However, we do not believe that economic growth should be abandoned. Instead, we want to decouple economic growth and human wellbeing from the unsustainable use of natural resources. Moving towards sustainable growth. UN Agencies have special programs and goals for collaborator states to tackle the climate crisis through adaptation of new market practices and regulations regarding usage of raw materials. For example, in one of fourteen areas of work regarding climate action, UNDP (United Nations Development Program) designates the adaptation of circular economy as a means of tackling the adverse consequences caused by the current linear economy. This area of work strives to increase the longevity of produced goods and raw materials and ensures produced goods are used in their highest value and at their fullest extent. In turn, waste, pollution, resource conflict and many other issues that the current linear system causes can be opposed!
At our current consumption level, we would need 1.75 planet Earths to sustain our consumption. This overshoot is symbolizes by Earth Overshoot Day, the day that we consume more than the Earth can regenerate. Earth Overshoot Day falls earlier every year.
Further Reading
Authors
Midas Urlings, Floris Oortman Gerlings