Climate Courage
In the face of political upheaval across the planet — we cannot take our eye off the big ball that still burns
By Alison Neumer Lara
COP28, the United Nations Climate Summit, is underway in Dubai, bringing together 197 nations to address one of the most pressing problems of our time: climate change.
As a student of sustainable environmental development, I’d planned to use this page to explore Israel’s climate challenges and solutions in context with the annual conference.
But for Jews around the world, and this publication in particular, it’s understandably difficult right now to extend our gaze beyond the Hamas-Irael conflict. How can we think about UN delegations, carbon emissions and renewables when there’s an immediate human crisis to address?
Because it’s courageous and inspires hope.
With the planet burning and flooding before our eyes, and millions of new climate refugees emerging annually, taking consistent action is something that we absolutely owe to future generations.
Among the key objectives at this year’s COP is for wealthy, top emissions-emitting countries to meet their full annual financial commitment to assist climate-ravaged countries. The work of adapting to a warming planet, phasing out fossil fuels, ramping up renewable energy generation and capturing carbon at scale and pace is a project that requires hundreds of billions of dollars — not to mention an enormous amount of global cooperation.
And that’s why experts say the war’s impact on the conference and its outcomes can’t be avoided.
Richer countries sending money to the Middle East will likely find it more difficult (whether due to politics and/or resource allocation) to meet the levels of financial support they have promised to poorer countries that bear the brunt of climate change.
The Hamas-Israel conflict — a lightning rod of political tension around the world — may also chill international relations and cooperation at a conference where every country must agree on the commitment language to arrive at a multilateral accord.
And safety is an obvious concern. The war is expected to deter attendees —countries, NGOs and companies — from traveling to the Middle East. Israel is sending a limited delegation to the conference when it had originally planned on a significant showing, including an appearance by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to highlight collaboration on regional projects with COP28 host United Arab Emirates.
So if this moment asks for anything, it’s courage. The urgency of the climate crisis cannot be overstated, but neither can the importance of hope — hope in the fight for the planet and, by extension, truly, to Israel.
In thinking about the success of this conference and looking ahead to our collective future, there is a belief and a will that the conflict will end, that all the hostages will be returned, that Israel will emerge stronger and that people across the region can find a way to live in safety and peace. When that day comes, our foresight and resolve in the face of climate change will have ensured that we still have a planet to inhabit.
As Emily Dickenson famously wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers.” It asks little of us and inspires so much in return. It also knits people together in common cause, which is something we could use a whole lot more of right now.
ALISON NEUMER LARA is a Communications Strategist and Former Journalist at Crain’s Chicago and The Chicago Tribune.
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