COP President Alok Sharma told delegates, and the world, on Wednesday: “we are fighting tooth and nail to make sure we have an ambitious outcome.” Sharma was speaking after a first draft of the final deal for Cop26 was released.
The draft document, known as COP26’s ‘cover decision’ was published with placeholder text in some sections revealing areas still under negotiation.
It does call on countries to make their plans to cut emissions more dramatic, to keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5C within reach, and as it stands, calls for faster phasing out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels – which would be a first for a UN deal.
But with continuing resistance from some countries – including China and India, this ambition – and details how it might be achieved – could be taken out of any final agreement.
The cover decision came under fire as soon as it was released, with many climate protection organisations unimpressed.
Jennifer Morgan, Greenpeace International Executive Director said: “This draft deal is not a plan to solve the climate crisis, it’s an agreement that we’ll all cross our fingers and hope for the best. Not good enough.”
Climate Action Network Canada described the text as “extremely problematic… as it does not actually address the crucial need to scale up adaptation finance and mitigation finance.”
The diplomatic haggling will continue until the final deadline on Friday.
Meanwhile, Wednesday’s official transport theme at COP26 saw dozens of presentations and announcements on making travel and transportation more sustainable.
Transport is the largest greenhouse gas emitting sector in the UK. It accounted for 24% of UK emissions in 2019, and 16% of Wales’ emissions in 2018.
As part of the pledges made, the Welsh Government committed to rapidly accelerating the transition to zero emission vehicles to achieve the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Supporting the Route Zero Climate Group’s declaration, the government we will work to ensure all sales of new cars and vans being zero emission by 2040, and converting government and public sector car and van fleets to zero emission vehicles by 2035.
The Welsh Government’s ambition for reducing transport emissions includes increasing active travel and the use of public transport, encouraging behaviour change, and supporting the use of electric vehicles.
A host of automotive manufacturers also signed up to the declaration, agreeing to ‘work towards’ reaching 100% zero emission new car and van sales in leading markets by 2035 or earlier.
In the Green Zone, the summit’s venue for debate away from the main stages, Size of Wales, the charity with a mission to sustain an area of tropical forest twice the size of Wales, organised ‘Connecting Wales, Youth Voice and COP26’ – where young Welsh climate activists presented their views.
In an inspiring discussion Youth Climate Action Wales (YCAW) ambassadors heard from Rivelino Verá Popygua, chief of Brazil’s Guarani community.
Speaking through an interpreter, the tribal leader again raised the issue of soya imports to Wales:
“We ask young people to put more pressure on your leaders, to ask them where are these agricultural products such as soy are coming from, because this is causing indigenous blood.
“We fought for the forest with our lives…our territories are constantly attacked”
“Our young people are also worried. As indigenous people we have seen the future and have tried to fight, but so far we have not been heard.”
YCAW ambassador, Shenona, answering the Brazilian indigenous leader said:
“I want you to know that we will keep pushing. That you should keep pushing, and that your voice matters.”
Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, who was also on the panel, welcomed the activism shown by the young ambassadors.
“Movements are important – whatever role you play – from social media, public speaking, challenger, supporter, taking notes, making posters, writing letters – you’re all part of the solution. Don’t underestimate the power of a movement to deliver change.”
Boris Johnson made a late arrival in Glasgow, (by train this time) to try and bolster efforts to achieve COP26’s original goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C.
The PM said negotiators must find “the courage to get on and do it” and urged country leaders, now returned to their capitals, to phone their negotiating teams and urge them to complete the necessary agreements.
“Here in Glasgow the world is closer than it's ever been to signalling the beginning of the end of anthropogenic climate change,” he said, imploring those countries holding out, to sign up.
“Will you help us grasp that opportunity or will you stand in the way?” he asked.
Late in the afternoon, optimism was raised in Glasgow with the announcement that China and the United States had agreed to work together on climate action because of the “urgency” of the climate crisis. US climate envoy John Kerry said it marked a “new step” in the COP26 discussions.
The joint statement said both sides “recognise the seriousness and urgency of the climate crisis” and would collaborate more closely.
Kerry said both sides had agreed to “work together to limit methane emissions” and that China’s plans for “a comprehensive and ambitious national action plan on methane” would have a “significant effect” on the global climate emergency.
