As world leaders gather for COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt, this week's edition of The Agenda considers what progress, if any, has been made since last year's gathering in Glasgow – and whether the world is anywhere near the pledge to cut global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030.
The UN Environment Programme announced recently that there was now "no credible pathway" to 1.5 degrees, and the failure to reduce carbon emissions means the only way to limit the worst impacts of the climate crisis is a "rapid transformation of societies." Niklas Hagelberg, the UNEP's Senior Programme Coordinator of the Climate Change Programme explains to The Agenda's Juliet Mann exactly what that looks like.
This COP is also vital for developing countries to push for the $100 billion agreed last year to help them with adapting to the losses caused by climate change. Sabra Noordeen, the Maldives' Special Envoy for Climate Change explains why that money is so desperately needed.
And Ma Jun, Director of China's Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, talks about how the gap between China's peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality will be the smallest in history.