While the T20
World Cup was on, Cop 26 took the global centre stage in Glasgow. We look at how Super 12 nations are affected
The men’s T20 World Cup and Cop26 drew to a close at about the same time. Australia flew home victorious after an eight-wicket thrashing of
New Zealand in the final in Dubai, a tournament nicely summed up by our man in the desert Simon Burnton; delegates left Glasgow less triumphant. Here we assess how those Super 12 countries are coping in the climate emergency.
Afghanistan The average Afghan produces only 0.2 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, but the country is on the forefront of the climate crisis. Temperatures are rising twice as fast as the global average, and with horrible inevitability the population is hit by extreme weather event after extreme weather event – droughts, especially in northern Afghanistan, floods, and avalanches. Springs are becoming drier, autumns wetter. Crop loss caused by drought means that the country is missing 40% of the wheat it needs this year and the
United Nations reported that 22m Afghans will suffer from “acute food insecurity” this winter. The
Taliban takeover has meant a loss of international aid.
Afghanistan had no official seat at Cop26.