After two years of preparation and 13 days of robust talks, did negotiators on the UN local weather assembly in Glasgow save the planet?
In quick: no.
But they have been hardly anticipated to take action. The annual Conference of the Parties, simply held for the twenty sixth time, is all about getting international locations to regularly ratchet up their measures to defuse international warming.
The focus of the Glasgow talks was to not forge a brand new treaty however to finalize the one agreed to in Paris six years in the past and to construct on it by additional curbing greenhouse fuel emissions, bending the temperature curve nearer to ranges that don’t threaten human civilization.
Here’s a have a look at what was achieved in Glasgow:
Aiming For Fewer Emissions
Going into the Glasgow talks, most international locations, together with the United States, China and the 27 members of the European Union, declared new, extra bold targets for lowering emissions.
Some, reminiscent of India, introduced extra measures on the assembly itself. Side offers brokered by host nation Britain lined points reminiscent of reversing deforestation, boosting electrical autos, phasing out coal, clamping down on methane emissions and unlocking investor money for the struggle in opposition to local weather change.
Within the official negotiations, international locations agreed to firmly concentrate on essentially the most bold purpose within the 2015 Paris accord, of holding international warming from going past 1.5 levels Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit). Experts and weak international locations have lengthy advocated that threshold, however some nations beforehand held onto the choice of aiming for “well below 2 C (3.6 F).”
They additionally agreed to explicitly goal coal use and fossil gasoline subsidies, although the unique proposals have been tremendously watered down.
In a bid to spur additional ambition, main emitters can be requested to current new targets on the 2022 UN local weather convention in Egypt.
Delegates from totally different international locations pose for a gaggle {photograph} within the plenary room on the COP26 UN Climate Summit, in Glasgow on Saturday. (Photo: AP)
Aid To Poor Countries
There was dangerous blood going into the assembly as a result of wealthy international locations have failed to satisfy their pledge of offering $100 billion every year by 2020 to assist poor nations deal with local weather change.
The closing settlement expressed “deep regret” in regards to the funding failure and urges wealthy nations to give you the cash as quickly as potential.
The share and sum of money earmarked for poor international locations to adapt to rising sea ranges and different impacts of local weather change was additionally elevated, although not by as a lot as that they had demanded.
No Reparations
Wealthy nations such because the United States and European Union members rejected calls for to ascertain a fund to compensate poor international locations for the destruction wrought by local weather change, which developed international locations are considerably chargeable for due to their previous emissions.
Many weak international locations have been angered by the choice however nonetheless backed the settlement within the hope of creating progress on the “loss and damage” challenge subsequent yr in Egypt.
Alok Sharma, the President of the COP26 summit, at the beginning of a stocktaking plenary session in Glasgow on Saturday. (Photo: AP)
Carbon Trading Rules
Fixing the principles on worldwide cooperation for lowering emissions, together with carbon markets, had eluded nations since Paris. Six years on, it remained one of many hardest-fought points within the negotiating room over the previous two weeks.
The guidelines protecting what’s referred to as Article 6 will change into more and more necessary as international locations and corporations purpose to chop their emissions to “net zero” by 2050 by balancing out any remaining air pollution they produce with an equal quantity of carbon captured elsewhere.
While a compromise was discovered that proponents say may add trillions of {dollars} to the battle in opposition to local weather change, some international locations and environmental teams worry the deal left important loopholes which may undermine the integrity of the system by permitting sure emissions cuts to be counted twice.
A shift by Brazil, beneath strain by a few of its main firms, proved decisive in clinching the deal. In return, the nation will get to maintain some carbon credit it amassed beneath an older system that consultants say wasn’t credible.
A small surcharge on carbon trades will go towards a fund to assist poor international locations adapt to international warming, however campaigners had hoped for the levy to be utilized extra broadly and blamed U.S. opposition for that taking place in Glasgow.
Technical Tweaks
Countries agreed to a number of tweaks to the principles on how and the way usually they should report what they’re doing to scale back emissions. While this may increasingly appear technical, consultants argue that better transparency and extra frequent accounting are necessary for constructing belief as a result of nations are intently watching what others do.
China has been notably cautious of getting others scrutinize its efforts too intently. Along with different developed and rising economies, it’s now anticipated to report each 5 as an alternative of each 10 years.