WWF-Hong Kong has called on the Hong Kong government to press ahead with setting ambitious carbon reduction targets after diplomats from nearly 200 countries meeting in Katowice, Poland wrapped up the two-week 24th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24 UNFCCC) over the weekend. The parties completed a new Paris Agreement rulebook on how countries should report their emissions and efforts to reduce them. China showed support for the proceedings.
“COP24 concluded with WWF emphasising the science and a call for urgency on why we need to keep global warming below 1.5˚C,”said Mr. Peter Cornthwaite, CEO, WWF-Hong Kong. “The impact of climate change between a 1.5˚Cvs 2˚C increase compared to pre-industrial levels has more than doubled when it comes to biodiversity loss. Cities like Hong Kong need to step up to meet the targets in contributing to China’s National Determined Contributions (NDCs). We need climate action and a new deal for nature and people.”
WWF recommends that findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and assessments of developed countries’ fair-share contribution must be considered in revising NDCs by 2020, which to date are not enough to limit the planet’s global temperature increase at 1.5°C. According to a recent scientific study published by the IPCC, this is the threshold needed to avoid setting off a chain of catastrophic events caused by rising global temperatures.
Ms. Suzanne Cheung, Lead Consultant, Conservation Policy of WWF-Hong Kong said: “To get back to the 1.5°Ctarget set by the IPCC, we only have 12 years to cut emissions in half to prevent catastrophic global warming. As a wealthy city, Hong Kong should contribute its fair share and embrace ambitious targets post-COP24 by setting 10 per cent local renewables by 2030 and 30 per cent by 2050; with 55% imported renewables by 2050. Together with an aggressive energy efficiency target of 50%, we can strive for near-zero carbon emission from energy production by 2050.”
The comment echoes recent WWF asks in the Chief Executive Policy address, calling on the government to set up a more aggressive target for renewable energy of 10% by 2030 for Hong Kong to meet its obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement.
“COP24 concluded with WWF emphasising the science and a call for urgency on why we need to keep global warming below 1.5˚C,”said Mr. Peter Cornthwaite, CEO, WWF-Hong Kong. “The impact of climate change between a 1.5˚Cvs 2˚C increase compared to pre-industrial levels has more than doubled when it comes to biodiversity loss. Cities like Hong Kong need to step up to meet the targets in contributing to China’s National Determined Contributions (NDCs). We need climate action and a new deal for nature and people.”
WWF recommends that findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and assessments of developed countries’ fair-share contribution must be considered in revising NDCs by 2020, which to date are not enough to limit the planet’s global temperature increase at 1.5°C. According to a recent scientific study published by the IPCC, this is the threshold needed to avoid setting off a chain of catastrophic events caused by rising global temperatures.
Ms. Suzanne Cheung, Lead Consultant, Conservation Policy of WWF-Hong Kong said: “To get back to the 1.5°Ctarget set by the IPCC, we only have 12 years to cut emissions in half to prevent catastrophic global warming. As a wealthy city, Hong Kong should contribute its fair share and embrace ambitious targets post-COP24 by setting 10 per cent local renewables by 2030 and 30 per cent by 2050; with 55% imported renewables by 2050. Together with an aggressive energy efficiency target of 50%, we can strive for near-zero carbon emission from energy production by 2050.”
The comment echoes recent WWF asks in the Chief Executive Policy address, calling on the government to set up a more aggressive target for renewable energy of 10% by 2030 for Hong Kong to meet its obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement.