Christiana Figueres Interview

A major part in understanding Climate Action comes with looking at the UNs goals through The Paris Agreement. Through a interview with Christiana Figueres, it became more clear to see the goals and direction the Paris Agreement wants to move in for the next 30 years. Christiana Figueres is a world authority on global climate change. Figueres is currently a Vice-Chair of Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, ClimateWorks Board Member, World Bank Climate Leader and Mission 2020 Convenor. Christiana was a major part of the Paris Agreement by bringing together over 195 nations, corporations, NGOs, activists and financial intuitions together.

In her interview with an Australian news show “The Drum”. Christiana goes into Paris Agreement goals, targets for upcoming years, expressing substitutions for fossil fuel use and optimistic views on what a carbon neutral planet would be like, unlike the normal pessimistic doom and gloom everyone always hears about climate change.

Christiana begins by talking about the Paris Agreements 2050 goal to be completely carbon neutral. This may seem like a lofty goal but the Paris Agreement has a target to be at one half global emissions by 2030. This would mean that the planet would be on track to hit its goal.

Christiana is in Australia during this interview to give a presentation. She came down to make sure Australia was doing its part so that the overall planet was on track. There was controversy over Australia not having a plan to reach its 2030 target of being at half emissions. Debates were made that the Australian bush fires were a blatant result of the coal and oil factories giving off high carbon emissions in Australia.

Figueres strongly suggested that the government made a switch from coal and oil energy to wind and solar energy. She explained how that this would keep them on track to fulfil their commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Concerns of retiring oil and coal energy were the expenses of the new renewable energy sources along with the loss of labor jobs. Christiana emphasized the switch of energy sources would be a substitution in jobs and argued how the prices of these renewable resources have went down 90% in the last decade, making them competitive prices.

A bright take away from Christiana’s interview was that people should stop being so pessimistic when arguing about climate change. Instead of making points about what will happen if goals are not reached, explain the positives of becoming carbon neutral. The world will be a safer, healthier and more stable place to live. Everyone should progress so that the world can hit its goal.