APA News Agency interviewed Dr. Massamba Thioye, Project Executive of the UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub at the UNFCCC Secretariat
– What are the key takeaways and decisions from COP-29 that will shape the global climate agenda moving forward?
– There are two decisions that are extremely important. The one on climate finance, because this is what will enable developing countries to have the financial resources to implement their climate action. The decision on the carbon market, Article 6.4, is what will make the carbon market up and running. And the carbon market is a very important international policy instrument to facilitate the implementation of mitigation action.
–The incorporation of the 1.5-degree climate goal into international policy for the first time in COP 29. What do you view as the key challenges and opportunities in achieving this target, and how do you see this goal shaping future climate actions?
– Having a 1.5 degree goal in an agreement is a very important thing. It's not completely new. It was already in the Paris Agreement. But what is new here is that there is more emphasis put on this 1.5-degree goal. It's very important because it facilitates what I will call the vision-driven approach to climate action, where we start from where we would like to be, the future that we would like to build for the next generations, and we backcast and translate this future into innovative solution, into climate action that needs to be undertaken to build that future. Now, the problem is this backcasting exercise is not easy to do, and most of the time this is not what guides the development of nationally determined contribution of countries. Countries are used to setting their target based on their understanding of what is possible, but not based on what is needed, not based on the 1.5-degree target.
– Can you explain your role and involvement in COP-29 as a speaker and participant, and its significance in advancing the global climate goals?
– I'm leading the UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub, an initiative of the UNFCCC Secretary-at-Large at COP26 in Glasgow. So it means that it's an initiative that has now been three years, and mainly the vision is one-fold: how can we leverage innovation to serve many people, so no one is left behind while keeping human activities within the planetary boundaries? At COP, we organized what we call the UN Climate Change Global Innovation Dialogue, where we invited the ecosystem around innovation, and we invited them to interact and reflect on possible solutions that will enable the climate and sustainability transition. More than 50 sessions were organized, and it was quite successful, with a lot of insight and good outcomes from these sessions.
– What is the role of emerging markets in developing countries in tackling climate change and fostering sustainability?
– They have a very important role because this is where most of the potential for climate and sustainability action lies. We need to keep in mind one important aspect. These countries are the countries that will be developing in the future. These countries are the countries where most of the new infrastructure will be built. So it means that either they have a pathway of development that is aligned with the climate and sustainability goal, and then we can make the climate and sustainability transition worldwide, or they use the development pathway of the global north, and then there is no way to achieve the climate and sustainability goal. So there are some actions that are immediately needed in these countries. They need to be able to access digital technology so that they can leapfrog and not use the development pathway of the Global North. Instead of building schools, they need to be able to develop virtual learning that is enough effective to replace schools. Instead of having everywhere new infrastructure, they have to leverage digital technology to avoid, as much as possible, building infrastructure where digital technology can effectively replace physical infrastructure. It is only if we have this radical shift in terms of development in the Global South, emerging and developing countries, that there is a chance to achieve the climate and sustainability transition.
