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This website is for anyone who wants to understand what is going on at COP26, but is finding it difficult to navigate through the mass of information available. "What is COP26?" seeks to explain what it is about and gives easy links to more information.
More information will be added to this website as we approach the big event. Also, the newsletters will focus in on particular topics. Please do feel free to send feedback on what was useful (by emailing whatiscop26@gmail.com ). And say if you would like to see a particular topic covered or if you have further information on something. |
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The countries signing the Paris Agreement committed to :
• Limiting global temperature rise to below 2°C (preferably 1.5°C) by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• Submitting an NDC (nationally determined contribution) outlining how they will respond to climate change.
• Mobilising support for climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing nations.
• Diverting finance away from environmentally destructive development and towards low carbon climate-resilient development.
Achieving these goals required the commitment of every country around the world, as well as business, local government, communities and individuals. So how will this be achieved? Is it enough? ....read more
• Limiting global temperature rise to below 2°C (preferably 1.5°C) by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• Submitting an NDC (nationally determined contribution) outlining how they will respond to climate change.
• Mobilising support for climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing nations.
• Diverting finance away from environmentally destructive development and towards low carbon climate-resilient development.
Achieving these goals required the commitment of every country around the world, as well as business, local government, communities and individuals. So how will this be achieved? Is it enough? ....read more
So far, 190 countries have submitted NDCs (nationally determined contributions) to the UN. Each NDC outlines what actions a country will take from 2020 to reduce (mitigate) GHG emissions and to adapt to climate change. See all the NDCs HERE. These will be strengthened as time goes on - this is the ‘ratcheting up’ process. A second round of NDCs should be submitted before Glasgow COP26 and there will be a Global Stocktake of these NDCs in 2023 to see how these commitments measure against the climate challenge. ....read more
It was agreed that by 2020, $100bn annually would be needed to help less developed countries to mitigate, and adapt to, climate change. This target was not met, with just $73bn of climate finance to developing countries in 2016. Nevertheless, it's expected that a higher target will be agreed at Glasgow COP26.
There are plans to ramp up investment in sustainable infrastructure in developing countries. This will mean use of financial mechanisms such as blended finance, carbon markets and green bonds. But the challenge is make sure these deliver real climate investment in all countries and are not just greenwash. Meanwhile developing countries are being encouraged to outline their climate investment needs. Many developing countries have now laid out their climate investment needs in a BUR (Biennial Update Report) and 20 or so countries have submitted their longterm plans in a NAP (National Adaptation Plan). A global overview of developing country needs should be ready later this year....read more
There are plans to ramp up investment in sustainable infrastructure in developing countries. This will mean use of financial mechanisms such as blended finance, carbon markets and green bonds. But the challenge is make sure these deliver real climate investment in all countries and are not just greenwash. Meanwhile developing countries are being encouraged to outline their climate investment needs. Many developing countries have now laid out their climate investment needs in a BUR (Biennial Update Report) and 20 or so countries have submitted their longterm plans in a NAP (National Adaptation Plan). A global overview of developing country needs should be ready later this year....read more
It is now accepted that businesses must respond to the climate challenge. Understanding the grave risk that dangerous climate change represents to investments, the financial sector (investors, banks, insurance companies, stock exchanges) is helping to shape a way forward.
Some high profile initiatives have been announced in recent years. The Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) has made a set of recommendations for assessing the environmental performance of companies and for making this as important as financial assessment. And now the top accountancy standard-setter, the IFRS, is planning to add climate to its financial reporting requirements. The biggest polluters are being targetted by the Climate Action 100+ group of investors who are demanding that businesses take the necessary steps. But are these moves effective? What other pressure is being applied to businesses? ... read more
Some high profile initiatives have been announced in recent years. The Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) has made a set of recommendations for assessing the environmental performance of companies and for making this as important as financial assessment. And now the top accountancy standard-setter, the IFRS, is planning to add climate to its financial reporting requirements. The biggest polluters are being targetted by the Climate Action 100+ group of investors who are demanding that businesses take the necessary steps. But are these moves effective? What other pressure is being applied to businesses? ... read more
Countries can not deliver the promises made in their NDCs without more ambitious plans of action. And even if they could deliver, these NDCs are not enough to keep temperature rises to 2 °C, never mind 1.5°C. Adding in the pledges from businesses and everyone else, 2 degrees of warming might be achieved, but much more action is needed for 1.5 degrees and we have to make absolutely sure that promises are delivered. So we are still a long way from avoiding damaging climate change.
Glasgow COP 26 comes at a crucial time, when we should be seeing:
Glasgow COP 26 comes at a crucial time, when we should be seeing:
- more ambitious NDC promises from countries
- systems to ensure help gets to less developed countries to mitigate and adapt
- evidence that businesses are getting serious about the climate challenge
- business, investment, development funds and public spending co-operating so that money flows towards reducing GHG emissions around the world and building the infrastructure of a low carbon future.
The What is COP26? newsletter - the plan is to send out newsletters focussing on different aspects. Here are the first two:
Future newsletters will cover topics like:
- The Paris Agreement - the COP process and what was agreed at Paris. Read the newsletter HERE
- Climate Finance - what it is and the plans for getting climate investment to developing countries. Read the newsletter HERE
Future newsletters will cover topics like:
- Mobilising Business - why business has resisted adjusting to a low carbon future and how they are now being put under pressure to take action, with a particular look at how businesses report environmental impact
- Biodiversity, Social Justice - the overlap with climate change
- COP 26 - what should happen, what hopes do people have?