COP26 Explained

COP stands for the “Conference of the parties” and this is the 26^th iteration in response to the climate emergency. Every country on earth is treaty bound to attend the summit under the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change also know as the UNFCCC. The goal of this summit is to fight dangerous climate change and identify how to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be the first summit since 2019 hosted by the UK in Glasgow.

Although we do have the landmark Paris agreement which was signed in 2015, leaders are committed to maintaining global temperature surges below 2C above pre-industrial levels, while “pursuing efforts” to reduce heating to 1.5C which are legally mandatory and protected within the treaty.

Additionally, leaders agreed to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, which countries also agreed to cut. These non-binding national targets also know as nationally determined contributions (NDC’s) were agreed as part of the Paris temperature targets. It would be catastrophic if achieved as we would see increases of 3C or more.  The French built a “rachet mechanism” since the NDC’s were inadequate and put in place that countries could have to meet every five years with new commitments. Unfortunately, the pandemic stopped many countries meeting five years later as this fell during the COVID-19 pandemic on 31^st December 2020.

In preparation for COP26, all countries have been revising their NDC’s to meet the 1.5C target, the lower of the two Paris goals. It has been estimated that we must see a 45% decrease in emissions by 2030, to meet net zero.

We must decrease burning fossil fuels, carbon dioxide emissions and related greenhouse gases from agriculture which produces methane. We must stop these and other industrial processes by mid-century to bring down these emissions. Anything that continues to emit emissions, must be offset by increasing the worlds carbon sinks like forest, wetlands and peatlands which are like vast carbon stores. This is the balance that is well known as net zero.

When carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, it will stay there for about a century, which means we could reach net zero by 2050 but still have released so much that the 1.5C threshold is inevitable. Therefore, the decade of the 2020’s must be focused on the climate crisis as it is a crucial turning point. With this focus, we have a chance of staying within the 1.5C target if emissions peak soon and quickly decreases.

The decisions made at COP26 will have a huge impact on all our lives as these will affect us for decades to come. We are aware we need to cut emissions in half at the very minimum to keep global temperatures within the 1.5C threshold. If we do not meet the targets set out at COP26, we can expect to see a rise in climate disasters such as flood, wildfires and other devastation which will disrupt billions of people.

Another way COP26 will affect all of us is the way in which governments implement the commitments. To make these global emissions changes, the government may make some changes to national policies which will affect everyone within the country.