After extending the COP26 climate negotiations an extra day, nearly 200 countries meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, adopted on Saturday an outcome document that, according to the UN Secretary-General, 鈥渞eflects the interests, the contradictions, and the state of political will in the world today鈥�.
鈥淚t is an important step but is not enough.听We must accelerate climate action听to keep alive the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees鈥�, said听Ant贸nio Guterres听in a video statement released at the close of the two-week meeting.
The UN chief added that it is time to go 鈥�into emergency mode鈥�, ending fossil fuel subsidies, phasing out coal, putting a price on carbon, protecting vulnerable communities, and delivering the $100 billion climate finance commitment.
鈥淲e did not achieve these goals at this conference. But听we have some building blocks for progress,鈥� he said.
Mr. Guterres also had a message to young people, indigenous communities, women leaders, and all those leading the charge on climate action.
鈥淚 know you are disappointed. But the path of progress is not always a straight line. Sometimes there are detours. Sometimes there are ditches. But听I know we can get there. We are in the fight of our lives, and this fight must be won. Never give up. Never retreat. Keep pushing forward鈥�.
A snapshot of the agreement
The outcome document, known as the Glasgow Climate Pact, calls on 197 countries to report their progress towards more climate ambition next year, at COP27, set to take place in Egypt.
The outcome also firms up the global agreement to accelerate action on climate this decade.
However, COP26 President Alok Sharma struggled to hold back tears following the announcement of a last-minute change to the pact, by China and India, softening language circulated in an earlier draft about 鈥渢he phase-out of unabated coal power and of inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels鈥�. As adopted on Saturday, that language was revised to 鈥減hase down鈥� coal use.
Mr. Sharma apologized for 鈥渢he way the process has unfolded鈥� and added that he understood some delegations would be 鈥渄eeply disappointed鈥� that the stronger language had not made it into the final agreement.
By other terms of the听, resolutions and statements that make up the outcome of COP26, governments were,among other things, asked to provide tighter deadlines for updating their plans to reduce emissions.
On the thorny question of financing from developed countries in support of climate action in developing countries, the text emphasizes the need to mobilize climate finance 鈥渇rom all sources to reach the level needed to achieve the goals of the听, including significantly increasing support for developing country Parties, beyond $100 billion per year鈥�.
1.5 degrees, but with 鈥榓 weak pulse鈥櫶�
鈥淣egotiations are never easy鈥his is the nature of consensus and multilateralism鈥�,听听Patricia Espinosa, the Executive Secretary of the 51吃瓜 Framework Convention on Climate Change ().听
She stressed that for every announcement made during the past two weeks, the expectation is that the implementation 鈥減lans and the fine print鈥� will follow.
鈥�Let us enjoy what we accomplished but also prepare for what is coming,鈥� Ms. Espinosa said, after recognizing the advancements on adaptation, among others.
Meanwhile, COP26 President Alok Sharma听听that delegations could say 鈥渨ith credibility鈥� that they have kept 1.5 degrees within reach.
鈥淏ut its pulse is weak.鈥疉nd it will only survive if we keep our promises. If we translate commitments into rapid action.鈥疘f we deliver on the expectations set out in this Glasgow Climate Pact to increase ambition to 2030 and beyond.鈥疉nd if we close the vast gap that remains, as we must,鈥� he told delegates.
He then quoted Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who earlier in the conference had said that for Barbados and other small island states, 鈥榯wo degrees is a death sentence.鈥� 听With that in mind, Mr. Sharma asked delegates to听continue their efforts to get finance flowing and boost adaptation.听
He concluded by saying that history has been made in Glasgow.听
鈥淲e must now ensure that the next chapter charts the success of the commitments we have solemnly made together in the Glasgow Climate Pact, he declared.
The 鈥榣east worst鈥� outcome
Earlier during the conference's final stocktaking plenary, many countries lamented that the package of agreed decisions was not enough. Some called it "disappointing", but overall, said they recognized it was balanced for what could be agreed at this moment in time and given their differences.
Countries like Nigeria, Palau, the Philippines, Chile and Turkey all said that although there were imperfections, they broadly supported the text.
鈥淚t is (an) incremental step forward but not in line with the progress needed. It will be too late for the Maldives. This deal does not bring hope to our hearts,鈥� said the Maldives鈥� top negotiator in a bittersweet speech.
US climate envoy John Kerry said the text 鈥渋s a powerful statement鈥� and assured delegates that his country will engage constructively in a dialogue on "loss and damage" and adaptation, two of issues that proved most difficult for the negotiators to agree upon.
鈥淭he text represents the 鈥榣east worst鈥� outcome,鈥� concluded the top negotiator from New Zealand.
Other key COP26 achievements
Beyond the political negotiations and the听, COP26 brought together about 50,000 participants online and in-person to share innovative ideas, solutions, attend cultural events and build partnerships and coalitions.
The conference heard many encouraging announcements. One of the biggest was that leaders from over 120 countries, representing about 90 per cent of the world鈥檚 forests, pledged to听听by 2030, 听the date by which the听Sustainable Development Goals听(SDGs) to curb poverty and secure the planet鈥檚 future are supposed to have been achieved.
There was also a methane pledge, led by the United States and the European Union, by which more than 100 countries agreed to cut emissions of this greenhouse gas by 2030.
Meanwhile, more than 40 countries 鈥� including major coal-users such as Poland, Vietnam and Chile 鈥� agreed to shift away from coal, one of the biggest generators CO2 emissions.
The private sector also showed strong engagement with nearly 500 global financial services firms听听$130 trillion 鈥� some 40 per cent of the world鈥檚 financial assets 鈥� with the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, including limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Also, in a surprise for many, the United States and China听听over the next decade. In a joint declaration they said they had agreed to take steps on a range of issues, including methane emissions, transition to clean energy and decarbonization. They also reiterated their commitment to keep the 1.5C goal alive.
Regarding听, more than 100 national governments, cities, states and major car companies signed the鈥�Glasgow Declaration on Zero-Emission Cars and Vans鈥痶o end the sale of internal combustion engines by 2035 in leading markets, and by 2040 worldwide.鈥鼳t least 13 nations also committed to end the sale of fossil fuel powered heavy duty vehicles by 2040.
Many 鈥榮maller鈥� but equally inspiring commitments were made over the past two weeks, including one by 11 countries听听the听Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA). Ireland, France, Denmark, and Costa Rica among others, as well as some subnational governments, launched this first-of-its kind alliance to set an end date for national oil and gas exploration and extraction.
A quick refresher on how we got here
To keep it simple,听听was the latest and one of the most important steps in the decades long, UN-facilitated effort to help stave off what has been called a looming climate emergency.
In 1992, the UN organized a major event in Rio de Janeiro called the Earth Summit, in which the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted.
In this treaty, nations agreed to "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere鈥� to prevent dangerous interference from human activity on the climate system. Today, the treaty has 197 signatories.
Since 1994, when the treaty entered into force, every year the UN has been bringing together almost every country on earth for global climate summits or 鈥淐OPs鈥�, which stands for 鈥楥onference of the Parties鈥�.
This year should have been the 27th annual summit, but thanks to听COVID-19, we鈥檝e fallen a year behind due to last year鈥檚 postponement 鈥� hence, COP26.
Want to know more? Check out our听, where you can find all our coverage of the COP26 climate summit, including stories and videos, explainers, podcasts and our newsletter.
