|
It took 26 UN climate change summits for world leaders to tentatively describe the solution to global heating: ending the combustion of coal, oil and gas. That text formed the Glasgow climate pact, signed in November 2021, which pledged a phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies and a “phase-down” of coal power. Now negotiators representing most nations on Earth are meeting again, this time in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh, for COP27.
In a progress report written as the conference begins, Warwick University’s Mathieu Blondeel highlights that humanity is far from the narrow path to averting climate breakdown sketched in Glasgow – and is burning more fossil fuels than ever. Meanwhile, check out our guides to why COP27 is important and what you should watch out for at the summit.
We also hear how deepfake videos and images are actually being put to good use in some instances, despite the dangers of the technology. And UK prime minister Rishi Sunak supposedly loves Star Wars. Here’s what he should learn from
the space saga.
|
|
Jack Marley
Environment + Energy Editor
|
|
Lane V. Erickson/Shutterstock
Mathieu Blondeel, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick
Fossil fuels were named as the problem at COP26. We’re no closer to eliminating them a year on.
|
The Reface App on a smartphone.
Italy stock images / Alamy Stock Photo
Dominic Lees, University of Reading
Despite their dangers, highly realistic deepfake images and videos are finding positive uses in the creative arts.
|
Andy Rain / EPA-EFE
David Kenny, Trinity College Dublin; Conor Casey, University of Liverpool
Star Wars is full of interesting and relevant lessons for the leader of a country (or galaxy) in turmoil.
|
Politics + Society
|
-
Clare Torrible, University of Bristol
For disproportionate policing to be effectively tackled, it is vital to understand the fear and hurt it creates.
-
Saeed Bagheri, University of Reading
Iran’s constitution guarantees human rights but its government doesn’t.
-
Samina Yasmeen, The University of Western Australia
The shooting in the leg of the former prime minister has seen his supporters take to the streets and the crisis in Pakistani politics deepen.
|
|
Arts + Culture
|
-
Jesse Barker, University of Aberdeen
A look at whether modern Buddhists adhere to the faith’s original religious principles or simply guilty of a cherrypicking cultural appropriation that turns religion into a fad.
|
|
Business + Economy
|
-
Renaud Foucart, Lancaster University
Meta’s focus on virtual reality might free up space for smaller social media players to compete.
-
Asress Adimi Gikay, Brunel University London
Civil liberties groups in the UK and elsewhere want to stop the police from using this technology altogether, but that’s going too far.
|
|
Environment
|
-
Jen Allan, Cardiff University
Stronger pledges, more climate finance, and payments for loss and damage.
-
Rachael Garrett, University of Cambridge
Three reasons for failure, and four reasons to be hopeful.
-
Emily Wilkinson, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus; Matt Bishop, University of Sheffield; Nadia Sánchez Castillo-Winckels, Utrecht University
Thanks to Vanuatu, a vote at the next UN General Assembly could open the floodgates to international climate litigation.
-
Imraan Valodia, University of the Witwatersrand; Julia Taylor, University of the Witwatersrand
COP conferences broadly provide a platform for the negotiation of international climate change agreements.
|
|
Health
|
-
Alessandro Siani, University of Portsmouth
Paradoxically, despite the success of COVID vaccination campaigns, confidence in vaccines has dropped significantly since the onset of the pandemic.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
