We know we have 10 years to put the brakes on the climate crisis and stand a chance of avoiding global temperatures rising above 1.5ºC. That’s not long, just the length of a single childhood. Time is also running out to reverse the devastation of nature, protecting forests and oceans to prevent the extinction of countless species.
This coming year will be the start of a decade of change. The 20s will be the decade when the mantra of ‘business as usual’ will be over. When the companies and governments that have been pursuing profit over the interests of people and the planet are forced to radically change how they operate. The millions taking to the streets as part of the school strikes and Extinction Rebellion events are just the beginning.
At Greenpeace, we’re ready to leap into 2020 and secure some major progress on protecting the climate and the natural world. This year, there are at least three moments of reckoning for the governments and corporations who have been blocking progress so far. We’ll be doing everything we can to turn these events into major milestones on the road to building a green and peaceful future.
Here’s how 2020 will begin a decade of change
1. Major climate decisions being made in Glasgow
In 2020, the annual UN meeting to negotiate international climate change commitments comes to the UK. Delegates from every country will descend on Glasgow to assess progress and make pledges to do more.
This year’s Conference of the Parties – COP 25 – recently wrapped up in Madrid and the results were disappointing to say the least. Fossil fuel companies and governments, backing their interests once again, undermined efforts to deliver a radical global agreement that would help address the climate crisis.
Attention now shifts to COP 26 in Glasgow next November. As host, the UK government will have enormous influence over how ambitious the negotiations will be. The new Conservative government has started to listen to the need for more climate action, but with their plans still full of holes, the coming year will see Greenpeace redouble our efforts to push radical climate action to the top of the cabinet’s agenda.
We’ll also challenge companies like BP that are still intent on polluting our atmosphere with yet more oil and gas, pushing them to switch to 100% clean energy or face going out of business.