COP26 outcomes – short summary

Thanks to Gus Woody for permission to adapt and share this brief summary of outcomes from the Glasgow COP

The run up – C19 and access

• Delegate passes – limited, for the rich
• Covid Red list restricted access from global south – borders and racism made this the least accessible COP for a long time
• The ‘Leaders Summit’ at the start is new at COP – performance art rather than substance
• There had only been one formal ‘Leaders’ meeting since Madrid 2019, all others informal

The run up – NDCs and the framework

• Ratchet mechanism – Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
• Most nations submitted new NDCs in advance of COP26.
• Around 40 nations did not submit. 
• Next round of NDCs covers the 2030s so this was effectively the last chance for setting policy on emissions reductions prior to 2030M

Major Policy Outcomes

• Glasgow Climate Pact – this was a new development
  • Requests review by end of 2022. Australia has already announced that it won’t do this.
  • Requests greater adaptation, climate, and loss and damage finance. 
  • Requests coal phasedown. 
  • Various other features.
• Article 6 finally agreed – system of carbon markets and other forms of cooperation (6 years late). Major issues remain on how emissions are counted and attributed. 
• Similarly, finally agreed transparency rules.

Climate Colonialism continues

• Refusal to agree a Loss and Damage Facility. Refusal to therefore plan for climate impacts on the Global South. 
• Failure to even cough up $100bn promised to developing countries. (Serco Test and Trace £37bn ~ $50bn). African group suggest $1.3tr. 
• Adaptation, similar failure, calls to double finance in Glasgow Pact, but from low base. ($40bn in 2025)Warming Amounts

Warming Amounts

‘Current policies in place today will lead to a best-estimate of around 2.6C to 2.7C warming by 2100 (with an uncertainty range of around 2C-3.6C).  If countries meet both conditional and unconditional nationally determined contributions (NDCs) for the near-term target of 2030, projected warming by 2100 falls to 2.4C (1.8C-3.3C).’ Carbon Brief

Key Takeaways

• Not enough, money and fossil fuels absent. 
• Climate colonialism and imperialism continues.
• Too much faith in tech and markets. 
• COP increasingly spectacular, inaccessible, and uneven. 

Signs of life

• The COP26 Marches centred calls for reparations and involved trade unionists.
• Life outside COP26 
  • Neurath Coal Plant – Blockaded 5th November
  • Lützerath Opencast Coal mine – Invaded by hundreds on 31st October/1st November