Page 11 - MEOG Week 46 2021

MEOG POLICY & SECURITY MEOG

Iran to ratify Paris agreement

if sanctions are lifted

IRAN IRAN will ratify the landmark Paris agreement was quoted as saying. “This has reduced our
on climate change only if sanctions against it are rainfall per annum and also the inflow of water
lifted, a senior official told the BBC on November into our rivers has reduced by 40% [and] this has
11. affected our agriculture and affected our indus-
The country is the world’s eighth largest emit- trial and drinking water.”
ter of CO2, yet it is one of the few countries not to On the issue of the Paris climate agreement,
ratify the Paris pact. Neighbour Turkey became Salajegheh was cited as saying the pact had to be
the last G20 country to ratify the agreement in a “two-way street.”
October. “When you have oppressive sanctions in force
The official, Ali Salajegheh, reportedly said it does not allow for any kind of imports even
that sanctions were impeding Iran in areas like medicine which is a human fundamental right,”
renewable energy. The Iranians have seen an col- he said.
lapse in overseas investment in their renewable “If the sanctions are removed, then we have
energy sector in the face of US sanctions. a commitment towards the international com-
Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi decided not to munity, it is at that time that they can transfer
attend the ongoing UN climate change summit, modern technology and finance to us especially
COP26, in Glasgow, but the country sent a team in the area of renewable energy so we can mod-
to plead for relief from the economic blockade ernise our deteriorating infrastructure,” he told
caused by Washington’s sanctions. BBC News.
“Iran has been impacted by climate change Iran has the second largest gas reserves and
like every other place in the world,” Salajegheh fourth largest oil reserves in the world.™

Group aims to end oil and gas production

OIL & GAS THE Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) UK, the COP26 host.
is calling for an immediate end to new licens- Denmark is taking the lead by setting 2050
ing rounds for oil and gas exploration, and has as the date for the end of oil and gas production,
signed up 11 governments to a promise to end oil and has committed to ceasing immediately all oil
and gas production by Paris Agreement-aligned and gas licensing.
date. The initiative, which is led by the Danish “Our goal is not small, our ambition is not
and Costa Rican governments and was launched modest. We hope that today will mark the begin-
at COP26 in Glasgow on November 11, has ning of the end of oil and gas,” said Jorgensen.
called for “bold and tangible action, not talk” to “The science has spoken and the time for O&G
move beyond oil and gas. has run out,” he said.
The alliance is supported by 11 governments The other also countries have current or
and views an end to oil and gas production as a potential oil and gas reserves, and are taking the
key component of meeting the Paris Agreement’s lead in promising to keep the hydrocarbons in
1.5-degree target. the ground.
“The IPPC has sounded a code red for The body features countries that have com-
humanity, because there is no future for oil and mitted to ending oil and gas production by a
gas in a 1.5-degree world,” said Danish Minister certain date. Governments and sub-national
for Climate, Energy and Utilities Dan Jorgensen governments can also support the movement
“The fossil era must come to an end.” without setting an end-date for oil and gas.
The alliance is the first state-led initative to Jorgensen said the group hopes to unveil new
bring the phasing out of oil and gas production members in the coming day, and will be able to
into the international area. start a major conversation on ending oil and gas
The alliance currently features: Denmark; and to develop new strategies to pursue a just
France; Ireland; Sweden; Wales; Iceland; Costa energy transition.
Rica; Quebec; New Zealand and California. Italy It also aims to increase the political pressure
supports the alliance as a friend. on oil and gas producing countries to work
The group does not feature any major oil and towards aligning their energy strategies with the
gas producers, and crucially does not feature the Paris Agreement goals.™

Week 46 17•November•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P11