People across the globe look to COP26 to keep 1.5C alive

By Vishal Gulati

Glasgow, Nov 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) With people around the world now looking to COP26, hoping that the delegates of nearly 200 nations can agree on the steps needed to keep 1.5C alive, in a way that is just, fair and sustainable, COP President Alok Sharma said it will take all of "us working together to get there".

"I would like to thank all parties for their constructive and focused advice in the informal stocktaking plenary this afternoon (Friday)," he said in a statement.

"My team and I are now engaged in intensive consultations with groups and parties in an effort to reflect the views expressed, find the right balances and develop texts that will have been built collectively."

Sharma said it is his intention to issue revised documents overnight, based on the consultations that are on-going.

"I envisage formal plenary meetings in the afternoon to adopt decisions and close the session on Saturday," he added.

Patricia Espinoza, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), began COP26 by calling on delegates "to consider the choices that we must make, and the trust vested in you by billions."

As 197 nations on Friday approached the official end of the 26th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP26) to the UNFCCC, it also marks the beginning of the hard work that is needed to prevent climate chaos and build a positive brighter future with bold commitments to end the use of coal and other fossil fuels.

COP observers told IANS that the second draft that came on Friday appears significantly more balanced with stronger elements on adaptation, finance and loss and damage.

The elements of the text aimed at speeding up action to close the gap towards emissions goals are there -- with no radical changes from the previous version and dates still intact.

However, the language on coal and other fossil fuels has been softened, and the inclusion of the commitment in a final deal would be seen as a landmark moment.

Seeing the dissent and anger, the third draft has mention of "efforts towards the phase-out of unabated coal power and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies".

The draft urges countries which have not landed new plans to do so by 2022, requests all countries to raise climate targets in line with 1.5-2C by end of 2022, commissions annual UN assessment of climate plans from 2022, urges countries to deliver net zero mid-century plans by 2022 and signal to countries to accelerate shift off fossil fuels, coal to renewable energy.

All 197 parties will need to agree on each and every word of the final agreement.

The UK aims to bring countries together to agree to a comprehensive, ambitious and balanced outcome that takes forward coordinated climate action and resolves key issues related to the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.

Paris set the destination -- limiting warming well below 2 degrees, aiming for 1.5 degrees -- Glasgow must make it a reality.

As per the UK Presidency of the COP26, the aims of the negotiations: the outcome to accelerate action to reduce emissions, strengthen adaptation and resilience to climate impacts and scale up finance and support.

At COP26, delegates will be aiming to finalise the 'Paris Rulebook', the rules needed to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement, and conclude outstanding issues from COP25 in Madrid. They will also seek to deliver on all essential negotiating items for 2020 and 2021.

"From our extensive engagement with countries, the most commonly raised priorities include: enabling ambition through carbon markets, rules for the transparent reporting of action and support and common timeframes for emission reduction commitments," says the UK.

Responding to the latest cover decisions, Sanjay Vashist, Director, Climate Action Network South Asia, told IANS, "For the people of South Asia, a region that is being slammed by climate induced disasters every day, COP26 was indeed the last chance to find permanent solution to the climate crisis, unfortunately the voices of the most vulnerable and the most impacted have been silenced and the interest of the fossil fuel corporations have been clearly pandered to by the UK COP presidency."

"Instead of building trust, the global south has been cheated once again. Instead of funding for loss and damage what we have is yet another greenwash that will ensure genocide by extreme weather events in developing countries," Vashisht added.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

Source: IANS