Good COP, bad COP? Takeaways from the new UN climate deal

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — After two years of preparation and 13 days of robust talks, did negotiators on the UN local weather assembly in Glasgow save the planet?

In brief: no.

However they had been hardly anticipated to take action. The annual Convention of the Events, simply held for the twenty sixth time, is all about getting international locations to step by step ratchet up their measures to defuse world warming.

The main focus of the Glasgow talks was to not forge a brand new treaty however to finalize the one agreed to in Paris six years in the past and to construct on it by additional curbing greenhouse gasoline emissions, bending the temperature curve nearer to ranges that don’t threaten human civilization.

Right here’s a take a look at what was achieved in Glasgow:

Aiming for fewer emissions

Going into the Glasgow talks, most international locations, together with america, China and the 27 members of the European Union, declared new, extra bold targets for lowering emissions.

Some, resembling India, introduced extra measures on the assembly itself. Aspect offers brokered by host nation Britain coated points resembling reversing deforestation, boosting electrical autos, phasing out coal, clamping down on methane emissions and unlocking investor money for the battle towards local weather change.

Inside the official negotiations, international locations agreed to firmly concentrate on probably the most bold objective within the 2015 Paris accord, of conserving world warming from going past 1.5 levels Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit). Consultants and susceptible international locations have lengthy advocated that threshold, however some nations beforehand held onto the choice of aiming for “properly under 2 C (3.6 F).”

Delegates from completely different international locations pose for a bunch {photograph} collectively on stage within the plenary room on the COP26 U. Local weather Summit, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 (AP Photograph/Alberto Pezzali)

Additionally they agreed to explicitly goal coal use and fossil gas subsidies, although the unique proposals had been drastically watered down.

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In a bid to spur additional ambition, main emitters might be requested to current new targets on the 2022 UN local weather convention in Egypt.

Support to poor international locations

There was dangerous blood going into the assembly as a result of wealthy international locations have failed to fulfill their pledge of offering $100 billion every year by 2020 to assist poor nations address local weather change.

The ultimate settlement expressed “deep remorse” concerning the funding failure and urges wealthy nations to give you the cash as quickly as doable.

Alok Sharma President of the COP26 summit pours a glass of water initially of a stocktaking plenary session on the COP26 U.N (AP Photograph/Alberto Pezzali)

The share and amount of cash earmarked for poor international locations to adapt to rising sea ranges and different impacts of local weather change was additionally elevated, although not by as a lot as they’d demanded.

No reparations

Rich nations resembling america and European Union members rejected calls for to determine a fund to compensate poor international locations for the destruction wrought by local weather change, which developed international locations are considerably answerable for due to their previous emissions.

Many susceptible international locations had been angered by the choice however nonetheless backed the settlement within the hope of creating progress on the “loss and injury” difficulty subsequent yr in Egypt.

The Motion Zone is seen because the day begins quietly on the COP26 UN Local weather Summit, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 (AP Photograph/Alastair Grant)

Carbon buying and selling concepts

Fixing the principles on worldwide cooperation for lowering emissions, together with carbon markets, had eluded nations since Paris. Six years on, it remained one of many hardest-fought points within the negotiating room over the previous two weeks.

The principles overlaying what’s referred to as Article 6 will change into more and more vital as international locations and corporations intention to chop their emissions to “internet zero” by 2050 by balancing out any remaining air pollution they produce with an equal quantity of carbon captured elsewhere.

Whereas a compromise was discovered that proponents say may add trillions of {dollars} to the battle towards local weather change, some international locations and environmental teams worry the deal left important loopholes which may undermine the integrity of the system by permitting sure emissions cuts to be counted twice.

A shift by Brazil, beneath stress by a few of its main corporations, proved decisive in clinching the deal. In return, the nation will get to maintain some carbon credit it amassed beneath an older system that specialists say wasn’t credible.

A small surcharge on carbon trades will go towards a fund to assist poor international locations adapt to world warming, however campaigners had hoped for the levy to be utilized extra broadly and blamed US opposition for that taking place in Glasgow.

Delegates pose for a selfie collectively within the plenary room on the COP26 UN Local weather Summit, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 (AP Photograph/Alberto Pezzali)

Technical tweaks

International locations agreed to a number of tweaks to the principles on how and the way typically they should report what they’re doing to scale back emissions. Whereas this will appear technical, specialists argue that higher transparency and extra frequent accounting are vital for constructing belief as a result of nations are intently watching what others do.

China has been notably cautious of getting others scrutinize its efforts too intently. Together with different developed and rising economies, it’s now anticipated to report each 5 as an alternative of each 10 years.

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