WDC in UAE - What you should know about COP28
In one month, world leaders will gather in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for the 28th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP28). The objective of this annual climate change conference is to accelerate solutions to reduce emissions.
The 21st COP (COP21) led to the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change. This year marks the halfway point towards the goal of the Paris Agreement to cut emissions in half by 2030. At COP28, world leaders will review their progress towards this goal, access their other actions taken to combat the climate crisis, and provide guidance to governments on how to strengthen implementation.
Ocean-based solutions to climate change
UNFCCC only recently acknowledged ocean-based solutions as an integral part the climate change conversation. The ocean covers three quarters of the surface of the planet and absorbs up to 35% of our carbon emissions. It has absorbed 90% of the excess heat generated by climate change to date and without the ocean, Earth would be a massive 30°C (86°F) hotter than it is now – making life impossible for the vast majority of all complex life – including us. So, we desperately need to take care of it and all the life within it, so it can take care of us.
WDC is increasingly present and active within UN climate and biodiversity convention work, given the positive ecosystem benefits delivered by the restoration of cetacean populations. We will be attending COP28 in Dubai with our largest ever delegation, to push for increased ocean action and inclusion of the role of animals as a climate solution within UNFCCC and to increase awareness and financial support for our Green Whale program.
Whales are the ocean’s gardeners, bringing life-giving nutrients, whale poop, to the forest of phytoplankton at the ocean’s surface. Phytoplankton absorbs hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year.
Save the whales, save the world
Whales are the hearts of a healthy ocean. We cannot solve the climate crisis without protecting the ocean and we cannot do that without protecting whales. We need governments to recognize whales and dolphins as our climate allies and support the full recovery of whale populations.
