Najib Saab, February 2022

Epidemics and climate change took center stage in 2021 while other issues essential to safeguard life on Earth took a back seat. It is true that the Covid-19 pandemic and its ongoing manifestations have put humans face to face with the most prominent health challenges in this generation; equally true is that the effects of climate change have become a reality that threatens the entire human existence. However, consideration of these major concerns should not lead to neglecting other profound environmental issues that have direct impacts and consequences. Some of these are major causes of pandemics and climate change, especially those related to manipulating natural systems and disturbing the delicate balance of nature.

The media's focus on corona and the climate made its way to decision-making circles, and as such some other issues did not receive the attention they deserved at the public policy level. These include endangered species, pollution, environmental justice, and modifying consumption patterns to achieve sustainability.

Biodiversity is in a state of crisis, which makes it urgent to place it as a priority on the 2022 agenda, to spare many living species from perishing. Species that were at risk of extinction in 2021 included 30% of trees, 50% of turtles and 20% of birds, while some species became entirely extinct. While 190 countries will meet in China next April, under the umbrella of the United Nations, to approve international agreements to protect nature and biodiversity, it is not expected that the conference will succeed in putting a final end to this downward path. Therefore, it is necessary to exert pressure to consider preserving biodiversity and the balance of nature an essential factor in confronting the spread of epidemics and the causes of climate change.

Plastic waste and its role in the deterioration of natural terrestrial and ocean habitats, as well as its impact on health, is an urgent issue for the New Year, especially when we take into consideration that response to coronavirus in the past two years, has caused a significant increase in single-use plastic waste. Fast action should be taken, specifically in the United States, which produces more plastic waste than all European countries combined, and twice as much as China. While the Trump administration had opposed serious restrictions on the use of plastic, Congress is expected to approve new laws introduced by the Biden administration.

Extreme weather events, which were dominant in 2021, are expected to continue well into 2022 and beyond. This includes floods, cyclones and droughts, 70 percent of which climate change has been found to have attributed. Thus, it becomes necessary to focus on doubling preparations against natural disasters and improving resilience, including building barriers and buffers for prevention and protection from rising waters, setting stricter building regulations in low-lying lands, using alternative building materials that are more tolerant to heat, and developing appropriate methods for the infrastructure to provide resilience. The Glasgow Climate Summit recognized this by doubling funding for adaptation and capacity-building activities, rather than allocating almost all budgets and programs to mitigating emissions.

With the vast expansion of renewable energy programs, mainly sun and wind, the production of electric cars, and the need to store the produced electricity in batteries, it is necessary to set tough standards for new industries. Giant solar panels and wind turbines, as well as the batteries, require huge amounts of raw materials. Where do we get lithium and cobalt for batteries, for example, without harming and polluting nature? How can these materials, which are mostly found in developing countries, be extracted, while preserving the integrity of the environment and safeguarding human rights and natural habitats, without violating the way of life of indigenous people? Congo, which has the world's largest cobalt mines, and Serbia, which is rich in lithium, are the most recent examples of violations in this regard practiced by multinational mining companies.

2022 is expected to witness an increased interest to boost the capacity of food systems to meet the challenges of climate change. This begins by putting an end to waste in production, storage, distribution and consumption. One of the positive indicators is the introduction of food systems as special topic of the last United Nations General Assembly, which reflected renewed interest at the international level. In the Arab region, the UAE launched a joint initiative with the USA to support climate-friendly agricultural innovation, while Egypt included in its medium-term plans a program to develop the ability of small farmers to increase production, in the face of climate fluctuations. A United Nations conference in the first half of this year will also discuss programs to maintain the oceans' capacity as a primary source of food.

Leading up to the 27th Climate Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh at the end of the year, it is necessary to start seriously implementing the commitments made by countries to reduce emissions and activate climate financing, according to a timetable, so that the summit will be a chance to present an inventory of what has actually been achieved during 12 months, rather than postponing the execution again. What may be one of the most important things needed before the Sharm El-Sheikh summit is reaching a decisive resolution regarding the issue of losses and damages, involving fair determination of the degree of historical responsibility of emissions that caused climate change.

Among the important environmental milestones for 2022 are two: The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, which constitutes an opportunity to review and correct the course of international environmental action; and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), will issue this year its most important and comprehensive scientific reports, in three phases between February and September.

One of the highlights at the beginning of the year may be China's ‘artificial sun' project, which has sustained a nuclear fusion reaction for more than 17 minutes, with plasma reaching 126 million degrees Fahrenheit, roughly five times hotter than the sun. China is one of 35 countries, including the United States, India and European countries, working on joint experimental programs to develop nuclear fusion reactors to produce energy, in an attempt to reproduce the physics of the sun. Unlike nuclear fission reactors, nuclear fusion does not produce radioactive waste. The participating countries are currently building the largest fusion reactor in France, with experimental operation scheduled to begin in 2025.

While producing usable fusion energy is still a long shot away, it represents a promising opportunity for the future. Other clean energy technologies might also be on the way. Until then, the world must work to develop the best and cleanest ways to use what is available, while rationalizing consumption, to preserve this endangered planet.