COP28 is now underway in Dubai. The latest annual summit takes place against a backdrop of destabilised global conditions and fluctuating energy prices, as the continuing war in Ukraine allows for further erosion of international commitments to reliance on fossil fuels. Meanwhile, the worsening conflict in Gaza has thrown light on the impact of war on fresh water supplies, particularly in regions already suffering from environmental scarcity.
Last year’s COP27 saw growing recognition of the devastation wreaked on developing countries as a result of climate change, with an agreement-in-principle to deliver financial aid to vulnerable countries facing climate-related crises. The on-going struggle of developing nations and the proper establishment of this relief fund, as well as the ferocity of wildfires across North America and Europe earlier this year, are likely to be tabled for discussion in Dubai.
The UK Data Service holds a range of open datasets – that is, publicly available datasets without access or copyright restrictions – relating to energy and the environment, including major contributions from leading, international non-governmental organisations: the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). These international data are used in both national and international contexts for research on climate change.
Closer to home, the UK government will undoubtedly face a high-level of scrutiny following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s adjustments to net zero targets, with his plans to increase oil and gas drilling in the North Sea and pledge to phase out petrol cars by 2030 now delayed to 2035. The target to end the use of domestic gas boilers was also delayed, with energy efficiency targets for landlords and insulation requirements for homeowners abandoned by the government.
Research into English households’ attitudes towards and appetite for energy-efficient retrofit investments, in the light of the UK government’s now apparently revised Clean Growth Strategy, was published in 2018. The investigation was based on English Housing Survey data available via the UK Data Service, as described in our Data Impact blog: How can the impact of domestic energy efficiency policies in the UK be maximised?
David Rawnsley, Senior Technical Coordinator at the UK Data Service, outlined the benefits of studying the Service’s collection of environmentally focused data: “We have datasets on the generation of electricity by renewable energy sources. We can also monitor research budgets to see how much money countries are putting into developing new and more efficient energy systems, plus how much they are getting for their coal, gas and oil and where from, which can help to develop more effective policies.” Essentially, climate researchers can use this world-class, reputable data to monitor the progress of environmental commitments made at previous COP summits.
COP28 has already seen more than 130 signatures put to the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action, which represents a step towards the modification of food systems as part of the effort to tackle climate change – although at present there are no set targets within the Declaration to reduce the food and farming industries’ carbon footprint.
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The Lancet Countdown monitors relationships between health and climate change, as well as the implications for national governments. You can read more about this research in our accompanying case study.