Promises, Promises?

Patricia Espinosa is the Head of Climate Change at the UN. She has expressed her disappointment that the recent G7 Cornwall meeting of rich nations was 'far away' from securing a deal limiting the effects of climate change (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/20/un-blasts-world-leaders-for-failing-to-seal-72bn-a-year-deal-on-climate). The 2016 Paris accord, resulted in a signed commitment to find $100 billion per year. This money was needed to help developing countries invest in 'green' technologies (such as solar power, wind turbines and electric transport). If poorer countries are unable to reduce their emissions, limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees Centigrade (above pre-Industrial levels) will be next to impossible. It is also evident that poorer countries will bear the brunt of any resulting climate change. Espinosa notes we are only 5 months away from the COP26 meeting in Glasgow. She suggests, the G7 failed to lead, when it didn't agree how to fulfill the $100bn promise of 2016. Although the UK chaired the G7 and will lead COP26, they seemed more interested in a UK-Australia trade deal, which is likely to exacerbate climate change.