Human Overpopulation Not On COP28 Agenda
As world leaders and other delegates gather in Dubai for the 2023 United Nations Conference of Parties, one key topic appears missing from the COP28 Agenda – that of continued human population growth.
World governments have now met almost every year for nearly three decades, with the aim of forming a global response to the planet’s climate emergency. Under the 1992 UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC), every country is treaty-bound to ‘avoid dangerous climate change’ and to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally.
The conference, which officially begins today, is already mired in controversy after the BBC learned, through leaked briefing documents, that the United Arab Emirates planned to use its role as the COP28 host to discuss potential oil and gas deals with 15 attending nations. The BBC confirmed that the UN body responsible for COP28 said that hosts were expected to act without bias or self-interest. When approached by the BBC for comment, the UAE host team did not deny using COP28 meetings for business talks, saying only that “private meetings are private”.
Since COP27 last year, the planet’s human population has reached and exceeded a staggering 8 billion, an increase of 1 billion people in little more than a decade. This stark fact alone has left many questioning why the issue of population growth has not made the cut as a key agenda item.
2023 has proved to be a year of unprecedented climate disasters, with global temperature increases exceeding all expectations. Food security and water scarcity continue to be growing concerns and yet COP28, like all conferences before, seems to be focused on minimising the effects of climate change and other environmental issues rather than addressing root cause.
It is difficult to remain hopeful for COP28. Many are questioning whether reaching net zero by 2050 is even feasible, particularly given the apparent U-turn by the United Kingdom government on its net zero policy. Considered up to now to be a leading exponent of climate policy and initiatives, the UK’s recent about-face includes postponing the phaseout of petrol and diesel vehicles, as well as a vow to “max out” North Sea fossil fuels with a major round of new exploration and extraction licences.
The United Nations (organiser of COP28) predicts that, based on all evidence, human population will most likely peak at almost 11 billion by 2100. With such a colossal challenge ahead, will COP29 be the conference to finally include human overpopulation as a key agenda item?
Submitted by Friends of Retha
The Message is the ground-breaking debut novel by Yan Vana, a thought-provoking and critically acclaimed debut that will change the way you think about overpopulation and the near future of earth.
Add Comment