(Two-minute read) 

There have been 25 COPs before.

Why do researchers say this one is so important? 

Because you don’t have to be a genius to see that climate change is potentially the greatest global environmental challenge facing mankind”.

It wasn’t until the 2015 Paris meeting, the 21st conference of parties to the treaty, that all countries formally agreed to take action to limit warming to 1.5–2 °C

Paris did driving action, but now it’s just not fast enough. Despite more than 30 years of warnings from scientists, and global efforts, carbon emissions are still increasing.

What would a successful outcome look like for COP26?

 

Commitments are just the first step:

Commitment is not a word but an act. 

Implementation and transparency will be the problem. 

COP26 isn’t just about national carbon commitments and

negotiations between countries. Business and industry

associations will be stepping forward with new commitments, as

well:

The idea that this Cop26 diplomatic process  (without putting money into the topic) which reaches decisions by consensus among nations rather than majority vote, is not capable of meeting the challenge.

Why? 

Because eliminating fossil fuels represent a wholesale transformation of the modern global economic system.

“It’s not just an environmental issue, it’s a massive societal challenge.”

If all 131 countries that have announced or discussed net-zero pledges were to follow through, the projected global temperature increase would be limited to around 2 °C above pre-industrial temperatures.

That is still short of the Paris 1.5 °C goal.

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