Why we celebrate even the smallest of wins.

12.07.15 By
This article is more than 9 years old

When countries, states and cities announce the steps they’re taking to act on climate change, we like to congratulate them, but we often get asked why we celebrate even the smallest of steps? Well, it’s because all progress is good progress. And all of these steps, no matter how small they may seem, are contributing to the growing momentum around action on climate change. So we’re going to keep congratulating those who are moving in the right direction: reducing their emissions, investing in solutions and contributing to positive international action.

 

In the lead up to the UN Climate Conference in Paris later this year, more and more countries will be announcing their emission reduction targets, so you’ll no doubt be seeing even more posts from us congratulating those countries taking steps in the right direction, and possibly even shining a spotlight on those that aren’t.

Is it enough? No. But, the good news is that action is accelerating. Our job is to document growing efforts and build momentum. Actions taken at the local, city, state or country level can give us hope and inspire further action among others. The Climate Council is about giving the facts – both the grave challenges we face, as well as the substantial progress being made. There is a good news story here – a story of hope, but it’s often lost amongst the dire predictions.

To help make sense of the emission reduction targets being submitted by countries throughout the year, we’ll also be sharing some information that explains exactly what they mean, such as the difference between absolute emissions, and emissions intensity; why the baseline year matters; and even what the deal is with 2 degrees? So if you have questions about targets, ask. We’ll do our best to answer. And in the meantime, we’ll keep celebrating progress everywhere.

Thanks,

The team at The Climate Council.

 

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