COP26: "A Thundering Wake-up Call"?

The 31st of October marked the first day of the 26th Conference Of Parties (COP) on climate change: an event attended by world leaders, business-people, and royalty. After a year of delays due to COVID-19, Glasgow is set to welcome an estimated 25,000 attendees to the conference, where many hope lasting and meaningful climate solutions will be presented. This year's event will be hosted by the presidency holder, the UK and partner country Italy, and will be led by former Business Minister of the UK, Alok Sharma.

In a landmark report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (The IPCC) in August 2021, it was found that “human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.” The report further warns about the potential environmental effects of an increase in temperature greater than 1.5°C, warning of sea level rises and deoxygenation in parts of the world's seas: issues which are already leading to the suffocation of certain species in those areas. Published by a team of world-renowned scientists, the report also calls on governments to initiate “immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions” in emissions, or face warming of up to 5°C if action is not taken.

credit: COP 26

On Monday (October 25th), a report published by the UN appeared to suggest that warnings in the IPCC report fell largely on deaf ears. It deemed that governments still aren’t doing enough to avert catastrophic climate change which could lead to “endless suffering”. According to an analysis by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), under the current climate pledges by world governments, the world’s carbon emissions would be 16% higher in 2030 than they were in 2010. It warned that, if countries proceed without more ambitious goals, the planet’s temperature could reach 2.7°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100. The UN Secretary General made his feelings on the subject known on Tuesday, arguing that “the time has passed for diplomatic niceties, if governments do not stand up and lead this effort, we are headed for terrible human suffering”. These statements and reports by the UN set a grim tone for COP26, but also illustrate how high the stakes at this conference are.

For twelve days, Glasgow will become home to many of the world’s most influential people, who will present their solutions on climate change and pledge to make the world a greener place. Among these figures is US President Joe Biden, who has previously pledged the “largest effort to combat climate change in American history”. The Biden Administration has also pledged to make the US net-zero on emissions by 2050, and set a goal of 50% electric vehicle sales by 2030. Despite the fact that Biden has taken more action than any other US president, many criticise his policies for not being ambitious enough, with mounting evidence that 2050 may be too late to reach net-zero emissions. Another leader attending is India’s Narendra Modi. India, being the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is critical in the COP26 talks. The nation is one of few yet to pledge net-zero emissions by a specific date, however they are on track to raise their renewable energy capacity to 450 GW by 2030. The country is already working towards achieving 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022; this figure includes 100 GW of solar power, and 60 GW of wind energy.

Although many influential leaders are attending the conference, several others are not. These include Russian President Vladamir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Russia makes up 3% of the world’s annual total of greenhouse gas emissions, making it the 4th largest emitter in the world. To tackle this, Putin is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060 and will grant EVs (Electric Vehicles) toll-free status by 2022. Similarly to Russia, China is also aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060, and they have recently imposed a quota which requires 40% of vehicles sold to be electric by 2030. However, many are criticising China for its lack of ambition when many European countries are banning the sale of non-electric vehicles by the 2030s.

The conference has been met with wide praise from politicians all over the world, with US Climate Envoy John Kerry describing the conference as “absolutely critical”. This week, UK Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industry, Ed Miliband, took over from opposition leader Keir Starmer to put questions to Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). Miliband delivered criticisms to the Prime Minister, accusing him of “moving the goalposts” on the UK’s climate commitments ahead of the summit. Former Conservative MP, Andrea Ledsom, has joined many this week in warning that the summit may be “too little too late”, a stark warning channelled by many public figures.

Climate change is a key issue to many around the world, with 92% of Britons supporting a commitment to plant more trees in the UK. The worry around climate change has led to activist groups such as Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain playing an increasingly prevalent role in UK society. On the 13th of October, protesters linked with Insulate Britain blocked part of the M25 in Essex, sparking outrage from commuters and other motorists, leading them to drag the protesters from the road. The police later confirmed 35 arrests were made. Despite this, Insulate Britain supporter Dr. Diana Warner said that “many people are going out of their way to thank us.” The issue of climate activism is a very divisive one; many believe that a show of force, like the actions by Insulate Britain, are the best way forward, while others believe in a more democratic approach, like contacting Members of Parliament. Either way, the influence of these activists cannot be denied.

credit: The Guardian

COP26 may have the potential to save the world from “endless suffering”, as described by the UN Secretary General. For the next 12 days, delegates and world leaders will be involved in debate and negotiations that could shape our planet for a generation.