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.
Today I spoke to teams at @COP26 to see what more we could do to keep the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees.
“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.
#COP26 | Are you looking for an overview of everything that happened at COP26? Come listen to @UlkaKelkar from @WRIIndia share key takeaways from this year’s conference and its significance for India.
“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.”
Quite what it is at @COP26 'Accelerated action' but also glacial pace.Imbalanced, imperfect,uncomfortable but still least worst in the spirit of compromise!No money, no action,no trust but very good speeches. Let's roll over to Egypt and hope for miracles! @carboncopyinfohttps://t.co/in4WNUXI5F
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.”
At COP26, CGIAR on Monday urged global leaders to ensure the 500 million smallholder farmers responsible for up to a third of global food production can adapt to climate change-induced loss and damage while curbing their greenhouse gas emissions…reports Vishal Gulati.
Rice is a staple crop in India as well as in many parts of Asia and Africa, but climatic extremes including rising sea levels — which causes inland salinisation — can seriously affect its production.
The adoption of ‘climate-smart’ rice has led to significant increases in yield in climate change stress-affected areas, including those inhabited by the most impoverished farming communities. The drought-tolerant Sahbhagi Dhan variety is specifically deployed in India.
— FCDO Research, Science and Innovation (@FCDOResearch) November 12, 2021
At the ongoing 26th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in this Scottish city, CGIAR Managing Director (Research, Delivery and Impact) Claudia Sadoff talked exclusively to IANS in the context of how to help farmers to become “climate smart”, improving productivity and resilience while reducing emissions.
She said large-scale flooding is occurring with greater frequency in South Asia with many of the region’s most vulnerable people, who live in vast agrarian belts within the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra-Meghna river basins, being the worst affected.
Index-Based Flood Insurance (IBFI) designed by CGIAR researchers combines satellite imagery with mathematical modeling to calculate flood damage and verify claims, avoiding the need for costly field visits and thus keeping premiums affordable and giving smallholders a valuable lifeline.
As another example, she said that a CGIAR project in Gujarat led to 3,500 farmers gaining access to solar irrigation offering excellent mitigation potential where the majority of irrigation pumps are diesel.
“Farmers also have a 25-year agreement with the local power utility to buy back surplus power, thus increasing energy access and alternative income while incentivising smart groundwater use and reducing carbon footprints.
— Canada's Ambassador for Climate Change (@CanAmbClimate) November 5, 2021
“The success of the pilot inspired a multi-billion-dollar government of India initiative to promote solar irrigation,” she said.
CGIAR is the largest global research partnership working towards sustainable and resilient agriculture and technology it has developed has helped yields triple in Europe and North America.
At COP26, CGIAR on Monday urged global leaders to ensure the 500 million smallholder farmers responsible for up to a third of global food production can adapt to climate change-induced loss and damage while curbing their greenhouse gas emissions.
Innovations are needed that can both reduce the contribution of global agriculture to climate change, and adapt to its increasingly evident consequences while also supporting livelihoods, nutrition and equality.
The call comes as the UK pledged $55 million over two years to boost commitments to CGIAR research from a steadily growing global coalition to surpass $1 billion.
The new pledges will contribute to an accelerating of research and innovation to confront rapidly intensifying climate challenges that could upend the global fight against hunger and poverty.
The first week at COP26 delivered significant support for climate innovation for farmers across the developing world. Pledges to CGIAR came from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and countries including the US, Canada, Sweden and Belgium, and now the UK.
Sadoff told that Indian rice farmers face a heavy toll from flooding just after crop sowing.
Recurring impacts of floods in India necessitate improving farmers’ knowledge of adaptation and coping methods along with improving flood-resilient infrastructure to reduce the damaging impacts on farming communities.
Swarna-Sub1, a submergence-tolerant rice variety developed within CGIAR, could play an important role in minimising the effect of flood on rice production. A recent study shows that the variety could be most beneficial for flood adaptation in districts of Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, she said.
On the rice stubble burning in northern India that has long been a major cause of air pollution, she said CGIAR research has made a significant difference toward efforts to stop the harmful practice of rice straw burning, by providing a more ecologically friendly alternative.
“Zero tillage provides farmers with a mechanised alternative to burning and tilling land between the rice harvest and wheat planting season.
“The approach instead offers a way to sow wheat directly into unplowed paddies and rice straw, using innovative machinery and attachments that can chop the leftover rice stalks, spread the residue evenly as mulch, and plant seeds into the soil — all without the need for clearing.”
According to her, the climate crisis is exacerbating the degradation of food, land, and water systems, impacting productivity, viability and resilience.
“Business as usual will mean that zero hunger will be an unattainable goal. Food value chains that exploit natural resources beyond planetary boundaries, resulting in waste generation, deforestation, water pollution, ecosystem destruction, and biodiversity loss are a global problem.
“Combined, these impacts increase the vulnerability of the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on them — to extreme events and other shocks such as Covid-19.”
A key objective of CGIAR is to increase the resilience of smallholders who are on the frontline of climate change and there are many examples of climate smart innovations that have already been developed and many more in the pipeline.
In a joint statement issued by members at Glasgow, it was highlighted that despite the tremendous developmental challenges and pressures of poverty eradication, BASIC countries continue to lead from the front on climate change actions, reports Asian Lite News
Brazil, South Africa, India and China—all members of BASIC, have pledged their full support to the United Kingdom COP26 presidency for a successful conference, which delivers an ambitious and balanced outcome, including the completion of the Paris Agreement Work Programme to facilitate the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
In a joint statement issued by these members of BASIC in Glasgow in UK, it was highlighted that despite the tremendous developmental challenges and pressures of poverty eradication, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the BASIC countries continue to lead from the front on climate change actions.
Ambitious climate change targets announced by BASIC are testimony to the seriousness that BASIC countries accord to tackling climate change, noted the joint statement.
At COP 26, Minister of the Environment of Brazil reassured the country’s full commitment to being part of the global response to tackle climate change by supporting the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use.
Brazil also announced new climate goals: (i) 50% of emissions reductions by 2030; (ii) zero illegal deforestation by 2028; (iii) restore and reforest 18 million hectares of forests by 2030; and (iv) achieve, in 2030, the participation of 45% to 50% of renewable energies in the composition of the energy matrix.
South Africa has submitted an updated and significantly more ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement ahead of COP26. The updated NDC brings forward the peaking of South Africa´s emissions by a decade and contains detailed information on adaptation and the enabling means of implementation support required from the international community.
The NDC presents a target emission range from 398 – 614 MtCO2e in 2025 and 350 – 420 MtCO2e in 2030. From the upper end of the range of the first NDC, this represents a 17% reduction for 2025 and a 32% reduction for 2030. South Africa has progressed from an original target against business as usual, to a fixed target emission range.
The lower end of the 2030 updated target emission range is consistent with a 1.5-degree pathway, while the upper end of the range is consistent with a 2-degree pathway, the joint statement maintained.
While India is amongst the few countries whose NDCs are already compliant with the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced further enhancements to India’s Climate ambitions at the World Leaders’ Summit at COP 26 in Glasgow.
Prime Minister Modi called for a global mass movement for environmentally sustainable lifestyles and consumption. India announced five new and updated targets viz. (i) increasing non-fossil fuel installed electricity capacity to 500 Gigawatts by 2030; (ii) achieving 50% of cumulative electric power installed capacity from renewable energy by 2030; (iii) reducing total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tons between now and 2030 (iv) reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030; and (v) achieving net zero emissions by 2070.
China aims to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. For 2030, China will lower its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by over 65 percent from the 2005 level, increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25 percent, increase the forest stock volume by 6 billion cubic meters from the 2005 level, and bring its total installed capacity of wind and solar power to over 1.2 billion kilowatts, the joint statement said.
XI Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China addressed at the World Leaders Summit at COP 26 in written statement and pointed out that we need to uphold multilateral consensus, focus on concrete actions and accelerate the green transition, it added.
China is formulating and successively releasing the “1+N” policy framework for delivering carbon peak and carbon neutrality and has already communicated China’s updated NDC and LTS. Moreover, China will strictly control coal-fired power generation projects and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad, it added.
BASIC Ministers highlighted that the BASIC and other developing countries have made the first move, coming forward with high ambition despite not bearing historical responsibility for causing climate change.
They now expect developed countries to show leadership and respond with a matching progression of effort. The positive sentiments expressed in the COP26 Summit should now be transformed into action and infuse the negotiating positions in the formal UNFCCC process.
In this regard, Ministers are concerned that climate finance provided by developed countries has fallen short of the USD 100 billion per year commitment by 2020 and that finance tends to be provided with unilateral conditionality and eligibility criteria, as well as in the form of loans, rather than grants, which aggravates the debt crisis.
Ministers underlined that developed countries must urgently step forward to fulfill their obligations and mobilize at least USD 100 billion per year from 2021 to 2025, and initiate, at COP 26, deliberations on a formal, transparent and open process for setting a new collective quantified goal on finance under the Paris Agreement, including through an inclusive forum for deliberation with a detailed roadmap outlining milestones for adopting a goal no later than 2023.
The new collective quantified goal must build from a floor of USD 100 billion per year, be significantly publicly funded with greater transparency and predictability and take a balanced approach towards mitigation and adaptation in light of the needs and priorities of developing countries.
Ministers expressed concern that Adaptation is not being accorded the balanced and substantive attention they deserve in the UNFCCC process. It is essential to develop a work programme to operationalize the Global Goal on Adaptation under the CMA.
Ministers emphasized that trust amongst Parties is central to the success of a multilateral process and that climate change can only be successfully addressed through a collective multilateral response. The history of negotiations and the past commitments must not be forgotten or erased.
In this spirit, it must be ensured that the discussions on pre-2020 action and support are not relegated to the background in this COP. The progress on the pre-2020 agenda should be the key benchmark of success of COP 26.
The developed countries must honour their pre-2020 commitments regarding mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation, without transferring any burden and responsibility to developing countries. Developed countries are required to take urgent actions to close the pre[1]2020 implementation gaps by 2023, which can be a useful input for facilitating discussions on progression of current commitments in the first Global Stock Take (GST)
Ministers underscored the importance of concluding the discussions on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, in accordance with the mandates and principles set out in the Paris Agreement and the accompanying decision. Ministers emphasized the importance of keeping a balance of the mechanisms under Article 6.2 and Article 6.4 and that share of proceeds should be collected under Article 6.2, to contribute to the Adaptation Fund.
A decision on Article 6, including its governance would preserve the integrity and credibility of multilateral process, provide additional and predictable resources to the Adaptation Fund, and send a strong message to the private sector on their engagement and crucial role in achieving the objectives of the Agreement.
Excellent discussion with Chilean President @sebastianpinera at Downing Street today. As Chile passes the baton of the @COP26 Presidency to the UK, I look forward to continuing to work together to drive forward ambitious climate action ahead of November’s summit. 🇬🇧🇨🇱 pic.twitter.com/O5R4muFaBp
Any unilateral measures and discriminatory practices, such as carbon border taxes, that could result in market distortion and aggravate the trust deficit amongst Parties, must be avoided.
Ministers underscored the need for an Enhanced Transparency Framework that delivers a balanced outcome to strengthen the transparency within the UNFCCC, while providing much-needed flexibility for developing countries in accordance with their national circumstances and capabilities.
It is crucial to guarantee that all the efforts of developing countries to comply with their new transparency obligations will receive adequate technical and financial support.
Ministers emphasized that developed countries need to further enhance the transparency of climate finance and highlighted that providing information on support by developed countries, especially the flow of climate finance including its predictability, is a key component of the Enhanced Transparency Framework.
Ministers underlined that COP 26 should achieve a balanced ambitious outcome reflecting all three priorities of the Paris Agreement namely mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation and emphasize the following: a) Preserve the nationally determined nature of NDCs corresponding to their highest possible ambition in the light of different capacities and national circumstances; b) Reflect Equity and the principle of Common.
But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), in the light of different national circumstances, stated in Article 2.2 of the Paris Agreement; c) Conclude the negotiations related to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement; d) Send a strong signal to developed country Parties to fulfill their obligations without further delay and provide specific information on the provision of technical, financial and capacity building resources to developing country Parties representing a progression beyond previous efforts; recognize the significant role of public funds and cater to needs and priorities of developing country Parties; e) Promote climate justice by recognizing the fundamental equality of all people to pursue economic growth and sustainable development.
BASIC Ministers reiterated their support for Guinea, as the Chair of the Group of 77 and China, with a view to strengthening the unity of the Group of 77 and China and advancing the common interests of the developing countries.
BASIC meeting, held on Wednesday in Glasgow on sidelines of COP26, was chaired by Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav was attended by Joaquim Leite, Minister for the Environment of Brazil, XIE Zhenhua, China Special Envoy for Climate Change, ZHAO Yingmin, Vice Minister, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, and Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment of South Africa.
In stage two, the four new tracking devices could pass over deep ocean trenches, across major migratory routes for marine mammals and birds, possibly beaching on distant shores…reports Vishal Gulati.
On the penultimate day of COP26, scientists have deployed plastic pollution tracking devices into the ocean around Scotland.
The devices will help scientists understand how plastic bottles move in the ocean and their interaction with climate change impacts, wildlife and weather patterns.
The ‘Message in a Bottle’ tracking project is being run by — Arribada Initiative, The University of Exeter, The University of Plymouth and the Zoological Society of London with support from #OneLess and OneOcean.
Designed to mimic a single-use plastic drinks bottle, the devices will respond to currents and winds as real bottles do. Stage one of the project launched on World Ocean Day June 8 during the G7 in Cornwall, and has already seen seven devices travel hundreds of miles over the past five months.
In stage two, the four new tracking devices could pass over deep ocean trenches, across major migratory routes for marine mammals and birds, possibly beaching on distant shores.
A recent study released by ZSL (Zoological Society London) and Bangor University revealed links between the global climate crisis and plastic pollution, including the impact of extreme weather worsening the distribution of microplastics into pristine and remote areas.
With all eyes on the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 nearing its completion in Glasgow, the four devices have been named “Heat”, “Acidity” “Deoxygenation” and ‘Pollution’ to draw attention to the need to adequately address these ocean crises in tandem and to ensure that a recurring ocean climate dialogue is fundamental to future COPs.
Heather Koldewey of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and University of Exeter, lead scientist on the project and Director of the #OneLess campaign said, “Through our research we’ve seen that plastic and climate change are fundamentally and intrinsically linked.
“Plastic is made from fossil fuels, generating greenhouse gasses at every step of its life cycle and the impact of both plastic pollution and climate change are both prevalent around the world. These crises are truly interconnected. There is only one ocean and by tracking the flow of plastics we are trying to demonstrate the connectedness and the wide-reaching impact that humans are having on our planet. There is an urgency to acknowledge that the climate crisis is the ocean crisis.”
Mirella von Lindenfels, Director of the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO), said: “The ocean regulates our climate and buffers us from the full force of climate change by absorbing our excess heat and over a third of our CO2 emissions. Any irreversible and significant changes to the ocean could have profound economic and ecological consequences.”
Over 359 million tonnes of plastic is produced annually and production has been predicted to double in the next 20 years.
”We need to keep building on this support to close the climate finance gap and meet the Paris Agreement’s goal to increase all countries’ resilience to the very serious challenges that climate change will bring.”…reports Vishal Gulati.
In a show of support for those most at risk from climate change, 12 donor governments on Tuesday pledged $413 million in new funding for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) during the COP26 climate summit.
The LDCF, hosted by the Global Environment Facility, is the only dedicated source of climate resilience funds for the 46 Least Developed Countries, which have contributed the least to carbon emissions and face some of the highest risks from the effects of climate change.
The pledges from Belgium, the Belgian region of Walloonia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the US were announced in Glasgow, where signatories to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) are discussing ways to close the climate finance gap and meet the commitments made in the Paris Agreement in 2015.
“I am delighted at the strong show of support to the Least Developed Countries Fund, which stands alone as a source of support to the world’s most vulnerable countries. The pledges made today will make an immediate difference in the places where climate change risks are most acute,” an official statement quoting GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodriguez said.
“We need to keep building on this support to close the climate finance gap and meet the Paris Agreement’s goal to increase all countries’ resilience to the very serious challenges that climate change will bring.”
“The LDCF has a special place in the hearts of Least Developed Countries, as it is the only climate change adaptation fund that is designed to meet our unique needs and priorities. We are 46 of the world’s most vulnerable countries, and the science indicates that our climate risk exposure will only increase,” said Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi, Chair of the LDC Group at the UN climate negotiations.
“Support from the LDCF enables us to take action and prepare for trouble ahead. We are pleased about the generous new contributions to the LDCF announced today and sincerely hope that additional donors will follow suit given how meaningful this source of support is to us.”
A true moment of culmination yesterday speaking for the @UN at @COP26 on Climate Resilience.
I can see at COP26 these delegates are in an impossible situation. I hope one day they can join the people who are already truly climate resilient in order to learn from them.#COP26pic.twitter.com/8h40TCZRVJ
The LDCF is the only climate resilience fund that exclusively targets the Least Developed Countries. Since 2001, it has provided $1.7 billion for projects that have reduced the climate vulnerability of more than 50 million people and strengthened the climate resilient management of six million hectares of land.
The LDCF also supports countries’ planning processes to reduce their medium and long-term vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and facilitate the integration of climate change adaptation into relevant policies, programmes, and activities.
Krishani Dhanji, a political producer with Australia’s SBS News, shared the video footage on Twitter, saying, “A faux pas from the PM?”…reports Asian Lite News.
A video clip of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison making a mistake during a COP26 speech has gone viral on social media, with Twitter users saying it was a “Freudian slip”.
Morrison, supposed to say “global momentum to tackle climate change”, mistakenly said “tackle China” during his address at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, reports Xinhua news agency.
Krishani Dhanji, a political producer with Australia’s SBS News, shared the video footage on Twitter, saying, “A faux pas from the PM?”
A faux pas from the PM? Scott Morrison appears to say "global momentum to tackle 'China'" instead of 'climate change' before correcting himself, in his address to #COP26@SBSNewspic.twitter.com/LDz4iPracQ
To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees, the global transition to clean power needs to progress four to six times faster than at present, reports Asian Lite News
The end of coal — the single biggest contributor to climate change — is in sight thanks to the UK securing a 190-strong coalition of countries and organisations at the UN climate negotiations (COP26), with countries such as Poland, Vietnam, Egypt, Chile and Morocco announcing clear commitments to phase out coal power.
Wednesday’s commitments, brought together through UK-led efforts, including the new ‘Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement’, encompass developed and developing countries, major coal users and climate vulnerable countries.
This includes 18 countries committing for the first time to phase out and not build or invest in new coal power, including Poland, Vietnam, and Chile, marking a milestone moment at COP26 in the global clean energy transition.
This statement commits nations across the world to: end all investment in new coal power generation domestically and internationally; rapidly scale up deployment of clean power generation; phase out coal power in economies in the 2030s for major economies and 2040s for the rest of the world; and make a just transition away from coal power in a way that benefits workers and communities.
This is on top of China, Japan and Korea, the three largest public financiers of coal, committing to end overseas finance for coal generation by the end of 2021, announced in 2020 during the UK’s incoming COP26 Presidency.
Agreements at the G7, G20 and OECD to end public international coal finance send a strong signal that the world economy is shifting to renewables. This could end over 40GW of coal across 20 countries, equivalent to over half of the UK’s electricity generating capacity.
Business and Energy Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng said: “Today marks a milestone moment in our global efforts to tackle climate change as nations from all corners of the world unite in Glasgow to declare that coal has no part to play in our future power generation. Spearheaded by the UK’s COP26 Presidency, today’s ambitious commitments made by our international partners demonstrate that the end of coal is in sight. The world is moving in the right direction, standing ready to seal coal’s fate and embrace the environmental and economic benefits of building a future that is powered by clean energy.”
To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees, the global transition to clean power needs to progress four to six times faster than at present.
With coal being the single largest contributor to climate change, phasing it out and delivering a rapid, inclusive transition to clean energy is essential if we are to keep 1.5 degrees alive.
Twenty-eight new members on Wednesday signed up to the world’s largest alliance on phasing out coal, the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) launched and co-chaired by the UK.
Chile, Singapore and Durban joined over 150 countries, sub-nationals and businesses, including finance partners NatWest, Lloyds Banking, HSBC and Export Development Canada. This accounts for more than $17 trillion assets now committed to PPCA coal phase-out goals.
There has also been a 76 per cent cut in the number of new coal plants planned globally over the last six years which means the cancellation of 1,000GW of new coal plants since the Paris Agreement, roughly equivalent to around 10 times the UK’s total peak generating capacity.
Responding to the UK government securing coalition with commitments to phase out coal power, Jonathan Sims, Carbon Tracker Senior Analyst, said: “Fresh country pledges to end the construction of new coal plants, which is vital if long-term climate goals are to be achievable, send a strong signal that coal is out for the count.”
Dave Jones, Ember’s global lead, said: “Today’s commitments will help to shift whole continents on their journey to phase out coal. This is such a big moment because by far the biggest gap in ambition to get to 1.5 degrees is a rapid collapse in coal generation i.e. for major economies to phase-out coal power by 2030 and the rest of the world by 2040.”
Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Chinese President Xi Jinping were at the summit….reports Asian Lite News
US President Joe Biden has criticised the leaders of China and Russia for not turning up to the UN COP26 climate summit currently underway in Glasgow, the BBC reported.
In a speech on Tuesday night, Biden said climate was “a gigantic issue” and China “walked away” – adding it was the “same thing with Russia and Putin”.
Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Chinese President Xi Jinping were at the summit.
Both countries however have sent delegations to the talks, which are due to run for two weeks until November 12.
China is the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide, followed by the US. Russia is the fifth largest after the EU and India, the report said.
More than 120 leaders turned up at the conference in Scotland’s largest city.
Both China and Russia are signatories of the pledge to reverse deforestation.
Before Biden’s speech, Putin virtually addressed a meeting on forest management at the COP26 summit on Tuesday, saying that Russia takes the “strongest and most vigorous measures to conserve” woodlands, according to a Kremlin press release.
The US president made his comments when asked about the role that other countries, including China, Russia and Saudi Arabia, have played in talks so far.
“The fact that China is trying to assert, understandably, a new role in the world as a world leader – not showing up, come on,” Biden said, adding that Xi’s absence was a “big mistake”, the BBC report said.
He said the same about Putin, saying that Russia’s wilderness was burning and their president “stays mum” about the issue.
Together, they support 85 per cent of the world’s forests, an area of more than 13 million square miles which,sil fuels each year…reports Asian Lite News.
World leaders were in the UK for day three of the UN Climate Change Conference or COP26 on Tuesday where a wide range of announcements focused on signalling a clear shift from ambition to immediate action.
Countries made unprecedented commitments to protect forests, reduce methane emissions and accelerate green technology.
Amid powerful pleas heard in Glasgow on Monday, world leaders, young people and campaigners all stressed the urgency of taking tangible action to keep the prospect of holding back global temperature rises to 1.5 degree Celsius and building resilience to climate impacts.
Leaders at #COP26 conference pledge to stop deforestation by the end of decade & cut emissions of potent greenhouse gas methane to help slow #ClimateChange
Nearly 90 countries join a US & EU-led effort to slash emissions of potent greenhouse gas 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels pic.twitter.com/4d4zGbdUhf
A total of 114 leaders took a landmark step forward at a convening of world leaders on forests by committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. The pledge is backed by $12bn in public and $7.2bn in private funding.
Countries from Canada to Russia to Brazil — which also increased its Nationally determined contributions (NDC) on Monday — China, Colombia, Indonesia and Congo all endorsed the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use.
Together, they support 85 per cent of the world’s forests, an area of more than 13 million square miles which absorbs around one-third of global CO2 released from burning fossil fuels each year.
This announcement was bolstered with a commitment by CEOs from more than 30 financial institutions with more than $8.7 trillion of global assets, including Aviva, Schroders and Axa, committing to eliminate investment in activities linked to deforestation.
Tuesday is also the first time a COP in recent history has hosted a major event on methane, with 105 countries, including 15 major emitters, including Brazil, Nigeria and Canada, signing up to the global methane pledge.
This historic commitment, led by the US and EU alongside the UK COP26 presidency, equates up to 40 per cent of global methane emissions and 60 per cent of global GDP.
More than 35 world leaders have also backed and signed up to the new Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda that will see countries and businesses work together to dramatically scale and speed up the development and deployment of clean technologies and drive down costs this decade.
Signatories include the US, India, EU, developing economies and some of those most vulnerable to climate change — collectively representing more than 50 per cent of the world’s economy and every region.
The aim is to make clean technologies the most affordable, accessible and attractive choice for all globally in the most polluting sectors by 2030, particularly supporting the developing world to access the innovation and tools needed for a just transition to net zero.
Work will focus on five key sectors — power, road transport, hydrogen, steel and agriculture — which together represent more than half of total global emissions and further demonstrates how countries are moving from commitments to tangible action.
Leaders signed up to the Glasgow Breakthroughs also committed to discussing global progress every year in each sector starting in 2022 — supported by annual reports led by the International Energy Agency in collaboration with International Renewable Energy Agency and UN High Level Champions — and annual discussions of ministers across government convened around the Mission Innovation and Clean Energy Ministerials.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends day two of the COP26 World Leaders Summit. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street
This ‘Global Checkpoint Process’ will seek to sustain and continually strengthen international cooperation across the agenda throughout this decade.
Leaders from South Africa, the UK, the US, France, Germany and the European Union have announced a ground-breaking partnership to support South Africa with an accelerated just energy transition.
As a first step, the international partnership has announced that $8.5billion can be made available over the next three-five years to support South Africa — the world’s most carbon-intensive electricity producer — to achieve the most ambitious target within South Africa’s upgraded and ambitious NDC.
A package of support, bringing together private sector finance and public sector expertise to scale-up African climate adaptation projects, providing life-saving support in the face of climate shocks protect the most vulnerable.
Leaders raised the importance of adaptation to the impacts of climate change as a matter of survival. New countries came forward with adaptation communications, bringing the number of people covered by them and national adaptation plans to 2.3 billion.
COP26 President Alok Sharma said: “Forests are one of our best defences against catastrophic climate change, and essential to keeping 1.5C alive. This historic commitment will help end the devastating effects of deforestation and support the developing countries and indigenous communities who are the guardians of so much of the world’s forests.”
“The Glasgow Breakthroughs will help move us towards a global tipping point, where the clean, green technologies we need to reach net zero and keep 1.5C alive are more affordable, accessible and attractive for all than the polluting practices we are leaving behind.”
The pledge to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation is backed by almost £14 billion ($19.2 billion) in public and private funding, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
In the biggest step forward in protecting the world’s forests in a generation, more than 100 leaders will commit to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 at an event convened by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson at COP26 Climate Change Conference today.
The pledge is backed by almost £14 billion ($19.2 billion) in public and private funding.
Countries spanning from the northern forests of Canada and Russia to the tropical rainforests of Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will endorse the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use. Together, they contain 85% of the world’s forests, an area of over 13 million square miles.
Forests are absorbing around one-third of the global CO2 released from burning fossil fuels every year, but the world is losing them at an alarming rate. An area of forest the size of 27 football pitches is lost every minute.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to say at the Forest & Land Use event at COP26: “Today, at COP26, leaders have signed a landmark agreement to protect and restore the earth’s forests.”
“These great teeming ecosystems – these cathedrals of nature – are the lungs of our planet. Forests support communities, livelihoods and food supply, and absorb the carbon we pump into the atmosphere. They are essential to our very survival,”
“With today’s unprecedented pledges, we will have a chance to end humanity’s long history as nature’s conqueror, and instead become its custodian,” Johnson will say.
The commitment will be supported by a pledge to provide £8.75bn ($12bn) of public finance from 12 countries, including the UK, from 2021 – 2025. This will support activities in developing countries, including restoring degraded land, tackling wildfires and supporting the rights of indigenous communities.
This will go alongside at least £5.3 billion ($7.2 billion) of newly-mobilised private sector funding. CEOs from more than 30 financial institutions with over $8.7 trillion of global assets – including Aviva, Schroders and Axa – will also commit to eliminate investment in activities linked to deforestation.
President of Colombia Iván Duque said: “Colombia is proud to endorse the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. The Declaration is a landmark commitment from countries to work together to end deforestation and all land degradation within the next decade.”
“Never before have so many leaders, from all regions, representing all types of forests, joined forces in this way and Colombia is committed to playing its part. We will enshrine in law a commitment to net-zero deforestation by 2030 – one of the most ambitious commitments in Latin America – and to protecting 30% of our land and ocean resources by 2030.”
“Now we must all work in partnership with businesses, the finance sector, smallholder farmers, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to create the conditions for forest-positive economies to grow and thrive,” he added.
President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo said: “Indonesia is blessed as the most carbon rich country in the world on vast rainforests, mangroves, oceans and peatlands. We are committed to protecting these critical carbon sinks and our natural capital for future generations.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson returns to his seat next to David Attenborough after giving the opening statement at the COP26 summit. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
“We call on all countries to support sustainable development paths that strengthen the livelihoods of communities – especially indigenous, women and smallholders,” he added.
The UK will commit £1.5bn over five years to support the forests pledge, including £350m for tropical forests in Indonesia, and £200m for the LEAF Coalition.
The UK will also contribute £200m, alongside 11 other donors, as part of a new £1.1 billion ($1.5bn) fund to protect the Congo Basin. The area is home to the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world which is threatened by industrial logging, mining and agriculture.
Governments representing 75% of global trade in key commodities that can threaten forests – such as palm oil, cocoa and soya – will also sign up to a new Forests, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT) Statement. The 28 governments are committing to a common set of actions to deliver sustainable trade and reduce pressure on forests, including support for smallholder farmers and improving the transparency of supply chains.
Currently almost a quarter (23%) of global emissions come from land use activity, such as logging, deforestation and farming. Protecting forests and ending damaging land use is one of the most important things the world can do to limit catastrophic global warming, while also protecting the lives and futures of the 1.6 billion people worldwide – nearly 25% of the world’s population – who rely on forests for their livelihoods.
Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Store said Norway will continue and further develop its International Climate and Forest Initiative at high levels until 2030.
The Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watch HM The Queen video message to the COP26 World leaders as they join the Prime Minister Boris Johnson at an evening Royal Reception at Kelvingrove Museum as part of the COP26 World Leaders Summit Day in Glasgow. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street
“We’re excited to be part of a growing coalition of donors and companies mobilising to reduce deforestation and enable a just rural transition. I am particularly pleased that we are joining forces to secure Indigenous Peoples’ rights and increase the recognition of their role as forest guardians,” he added.
Among those speaking alongside the Prime Minister Boris Johnson are Prince Charles, President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, Columbian President Ivan Duque, US President Joe Biden, Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
