The UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow has been attended by 120 of the world’s leaders, as well as businesses, not for profit organisations and leading environmental experts, all with the goal of kick-starting a decade of accelerated climate action.
Because acceleration is what we need. Governments, businesses, and individuals need to act now to secure a global net-zero target by 2050 and to keep the net temperature increase to 1.5 degrees or below.
To do our bit, we wanted to summarise some of the key findings from COP26 to make this two-week event accessible to individuals and businesses that want to do more.
We are releasing carbon into the atmosphere at an unprecedented rate.
We’re in trouble. And it’s a story of both inequality and instability. Those who have done the least (developing countries) are suffering the most. Sir David Attenborough calls for us all to see the bigger picture and work with nature as our ally.
Collaboration is key. We must work together.
We should work together to create a world where all countries have a good standard of living and a modest footprint. President Biden criticised the countries that did not send delegates to the conference, namely Russia and China. As individuals, we can’t rely on others either to solve the climate emergency. The problem can only be solved when we all buy into climate action.
The six years since the Paris Agreement, have been the hottest on record.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres gave a sobering speech at the COP26 conference’s opening ceremony. He warned that although we are being led to believe that we are on track, we are not. We are currently on track for a 2.7 degree increase in our global temperatures, this will be a climate catastrophe.
He calls for a 45% reduction in global emissions by 2030.
For the private sector, he praised The Net Zero Owner Alliance as the gold standard for how to demonstrate credible commitment and transparent targets and manage $10 trillion USD of assets.
We should review our sustainable policies every year.
Or even better, every moment.
António Guterres says that actions should not be reviewed every five years, but every year. And every action we take should mean that we constantly review until a 1.5 degree rise in temperature as a maximum is assured.
The UN is establishing an expert team to assist non-state bodies to reach their net-zero commitments.
Non-state organisations will soon be able to access support from a team of experts, established by the UN. This will give guidance on organisations reaching net-zero.
Inspiration can be gathered from the younger generation.
Remarkable Indian 15-year-old Vinisha Umashankar, Earthshot Prize Finalist, addressed world leaders at COP26. She invited world leaders to join the younger generation as allies as they are the innovators of now and the future.
Young people are taking action against climate change now, and we should follow their lead.
It’s not going to be easy.
Former President, Barack Obama, recognised that leaders are rewarded for boosting short term profits, and not boosting global social issues. Getting us all together, globally, takes time. The process will be hard, but he reminds us that humanity has faced and overcome huge challenges, and we can do it again.
These are the top priorities.
The overarching goal of COP26 was to finalise the ‘Paris Rulebook’, and iron out any outstanding issues from COP25 in Madrid.
The priorities, taken from the COP26 website, included:
Enabling ambition through carbon markets
Rules for the transparent reporting of action and support
Common timeframes for emission reduction commitments
Enabling enhanced adaptation action
Averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage
Means of implementation, including the initiation of deliberations on a new goal for global climate finance after 2025
Responding to the latest science and the ambition of current emission reduction targets
Promoting fair, inclusive climate action
I’m sure we all hope that COP26 will lead to positive actions that make a difference. In the words of Vinisha Umashankar:
“We will lead even if you don’t, we will act even if you delay, and we will build the future even if you are still stuck in the past”.
Let's stop talking and start doing...Do you have a plan?
Chiara