The high-profile COP 26 conference began here on October 31 and marked the participation of world leaders joining voices to prevent the world from climate change, reports Asian Lite News
Despite calling the deal reached at COP-26 a game-changing international pact, Prime Minister Boris Johnson voiced some dismay over the result of the conference.
“My delight at this progress is tinged with disappointment,” Politico quoted Johnson as saying after his government hosted the COP-26 climate conference in Glasgow
“Those for whom climate change is already a matter of life and death, who can only stand by as their islands are submerged, their farmlands turn to desert, their homes battered by storms — they demanded a high level of ambition for this summit,” Johnson said.
“While many of us were willing to go there, that was not true of everybody. Sadly, that is the nature of diplomacy.”
The high-profile COP-26 conference began here on October 31 and marked the participation of world leaders joining voices to prevent the world from climate change.
The participating countries reached an agreement on Saturday to strengthen their 2030 climate goals before the end of next year.
What was not delivered?
Developing countries wanted a clear plan for a loss and damage funding facility. This did not happen and focus will shift to Egypt next year to deliver this.
African nations spend up to 10 per cent of GDP a year on adaptation while impacts could deliver a 20 per cent hit to GDP in poor nations by 2050, says Christian Aid.
What else was agreed?
Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out as a measure for success for this COP action on coal, cars, cash and trees. There was a tsunami of deals delivered during COP.
Climate Action Tracker found that the methane, coal, forests and transport deals contain additionalA action which would close the emissions gap to a 1.5C path by nine per cent or 2.2 GtCO2e.
COP26 President, Alok Sharma, apologized for the last-minute change, and, holding back tears, that the revision “was vital to protect the package” of decisions, now called the Glasgow Climate Pact.
Responding to COP26’s real progress, Ulka Kelkar, Climate Programme Director, WRI India, told: “India will be affected by COP26 asking countries to phase out polluting coal power and withdraw inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.
“India will also have to join other countries to escalate emission reduction actions more frequently. This will not be easy for a lower-middle income country that is trying to lift millions of people out of poverty.
“India’s battle against climate change will be led by scaling up renewable energy, which will be the foundation of our net zero future; by industry, who will fight to stay competitive in the global economy; and by states and cities, who will need to urbanize with respect for nature.
“Now that COP-26 has finalised the rules of carbon trading, India will be able to sell more than a million carbon credits from previous years, and can also create a domestic market for carbon trading.”
Believing that there was nothing much, Manjeev Puri, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, said: “There is no real commitment on part of developed countries to move ahead with serious and urgent domestic action let alone in terms of global collaboration and truly significant climate finance for tackling climate change.”
Aarti Khosla, Director, Climate Trends, said, “The COP26 has definitely narrowed the gap for 1.5 and the processes which can be taken for future action. But the failure of the US and the EU to deliver on the promised $100 bn in climate finance remains urgent and central to any ambitious climate action. Blocking the establishment of even a modest fund to help vulnerable communities around the world with the massive loss and damage they are experiencing at the hands of the climate crisis is a serious blow.”
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