COP26 | Lytton’s tragedy can happen anywhere, Trudeau warns

A concrete example of the consequences of climate change recently hit Canada, Justin Trudeau reminded world leaders gathered at COP26, while his counterpart from Barbados put the tongue aside to lecture his peers.

Jean-Thomas Léveillé
Press

Speaking at the “High Level Segment for Heads of State and Government”, Justin Trudeau began his speech by recalling the all-time record heat of 49.6 ° C which preceded the destruction of the village by flames .

“We must do more and faster” to fight against climate change, hammered the Prime Minister in front of his peers, stressing that Canada is warming twice as fast as the world average, and three times faster in the case of north of the country.

Raising the ambition to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions is “the core” of COP26, he insisted, adding that developed countries must help developing countries reduce their emissions and adapt to climate change. climate change, drawing a parallel with the fight against COVID-19.

“As we are all working together to end the COVID-19 pandemic, we must apply this same urgency to act against the climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity,” he told the audience.

Greed and selfishness

In a vibrant plea resembling a sermon to her peers, the Prime Minister of Barbados stressed that a 2 ° C warming would be a “death sentence” for the populations of many countries, including her own.

“We want to exist 100 years from now, and if our existence means anything, then we must act in the best interests of our people who depend on us,” said Mia Amor Mottley. If we don’t, we will allow greed and selfishness to encourage our common destruction. ”

Lashing out at the lack of ambition displayed by the international community on the eve of this climate conference, Prime Minister Mottley asked how many more testimonials from people suffering from the climate crisis would take action.

The leader also deplored the absence in Glasgow of certain major emitting countries and the failure to reach the goal of 100 billion dollars per year to help developing countries in their fight against the climate crisis.

“I ask you: what should we say to our peoples? […] when ambition and certain faces that should be seen here are absent? What excuses should we give for failures? She said.

“When are the leaders going to lead? “, She asked, scathing, warning that the populations affected by the climate crisis” watch and take notes “.

Biden and Macron, optimists

To people worried about seeing the Glasgow conference miss the ambitious objective that is expected, French President Emmanuel Macron recalled that the concern was also great before that of Paris, in 2015.

“If we are expected collectively today, it is to find, I believe, what allowed, six years ago, everyone to move forward and to conclude an agreement that was not built at the beginning of the COP, allowing the Paris agreements, ”he said.

Recognizing for his part that the United States has not lived up to expectations in recent years on the climate issue, President Joe Biden said he wanted not only to mark their “return to the table”, but also “to lead by example ”.

“My administration is working hard to show that our commitment to the climate is more than words,” he said, recalling that “the science is clear” about the “brief window” the world has to offer. ready to act.

“Glasgow must be the start of a decade of ambition,” said the US president, insisting on the need for collective action.

“Let’s get to work”, he said, before concluding with… “may God save the planet”.

End of coal exports

Justin Trudeau announced at COP26 that Ottawa “is working to end thermal coal exports by 2030”, fulfilling a commitment made during the recent election campaign.

Canada is the 8^e net exporter of coal in the world, according to the International Energy Agency, with 26 million tonnes (Mt), away from Australia and Indonesia, with nearly 400 Mt each.

“It’s minor from a global point of view,” told Press Professor Pierre-Olivier Pineau, holder of the Chair in Energy Sector Management at HEC Montréal, stressing that the measure would have consequences above all in British Columbia, where Canadian coal exports come from.

“What is proposed is not up to what science requires and what should be the contribution of a rich country like Canada, which is among the 10 biggest polluters in history,” said deplored Patrick Bonin, responsible for the climate-energy campaign of Greenpeace Canada.

Various environmental groups, including the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, will demonstrate in front of Prime Minister Trudeau’s offices in Ottawa on Tuesday to demand a ban on coal exports from 2023.

They will also file “many petitions” in this regard.

Justin Trudeau also indicated that Canada will spend $ 1 billion to help developing countries make the transition from coal to cleaner sources of electricity generation, out of its $ 5.3 billion contribution to international financing of the fight against climate change.