COP26 Week 1 highlights

With the second week of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) well and truly underway, we have taken a look back at a few of the highlights of last week as world leaders and delegates attempt to follow the succinct direction of Sir David Attenborough, to "rewrite our story to turn this tragedy into triumph".

Day 1 & 2: UN World Leader's Summit

• Over 140 countries submitted their updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in which they set out their plans to limit climate warming under the Paris Agreement. Notable amongst these was India's announcement that it would generate half of the country's energy by renewable sources by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2070. Whilst some 20 years later than the date proposed by the IPCC, this plans puts India, the 4th biggest emitter of CO2, clearly on the pathway to a low-carbon society.
• Over 130 leaders from 100+ countries signed the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forest and Land Use, bringing together an unprecedented alliance of governments, companies, financial actors and non-state leaders committed to working together to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation. Over 90% of the world's forests are covered by political commitments, which are backed by $19.2bn of public, private, and philanthropic climate finance.
• Over 40 world leaders signed up to the new Breakthrough Agenda, representing over 70% of the world's economy. Modelled on the UK's Net Zero Strategy, it will see countries and businesses coordinate climate action in power, road transport, steel, hydrogen and agriculture with the aim to make clean technologies the most affordable, accessible and attractive choice for all globally.

Day 3: Finance

• The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero saw a global coalition of leading financial institutions, led by Mark Carney, announce $130 trillion of private finance will be aligned to net zero and near-term milestones.
• The UK Chancellor also announced plans to make the UK's financial centre aligned to net zero, proposing requirements for financial institutions and listed companies to publish net zero transition plans detailing how they will adapt and decarbonise.

Day 4: Energy

• At least 23 countries, including 5 of the world's top users, made new commitments to phasing out coal power. Further, banks and financial institutions committed to ending the funding of unabated coal.
• 25 countries and public financial institutions committed to ending public support of the unabated fossil fuel energy sector by end of 2022. This this could transfer £17.8bn of public finance out of fossil fuels and into supporting the clean energy transition.

Day 5: Youth and public empowerment

• On a day in which the views of over 40,000 young climate leaders from around the world were represented in the COP26 Blue Zone, tens of thousands of young protestors took to Glasgow's streets to demonstrate against climate inaction and greenwashing, with Greta Thunberg labelling COP26 a "PR event".
• 23 countries made national climate education pledges including putting climate at the heart of curriculum and creating net zero schools. Schools can access resources to support the #Togetherforourclimate campaign here: https://together-for-our-planet.ukcop26.org/schools-pack-get-inspired/

Day 6: Nature

• While climate protests took place at over 250 events around the world, the star power of Idris Elba, a UN Goodwill Ambassador, brought attention to the role of small-scale farmers in responsible land use and sustainable agriculture.
• A coalition of 45 governments pledged urgent action and investment to protect nature and shift to more sustainable ways of farming.
• 95 high profile companies across a range of sectors committed to being "Nature Positive", working towards halting and reversing decline in nature by 2030.
• Sainsbury's, on behalf of the big 5 UK supermarkets, will commit to halving the environmental impact of the average UK shopping basket by 2030 through a new partnership with WWF called 'basket measures'. It will focus on climate change, deforestation, sustainable agriculture, sustainable diets, marine, waste and packaging.

If you aren't lucky enough to be able to join any of the events in person, you can attend Green Zone events virtually on the COP26 YouTube channel. See the list of events here: https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/green-zone-programme-of-events/

Monday 8th - Adaptation, Loss and Damage

Tuesday 9th - Gender

Wednesday 10th - Transport

Thursday 11th - Cities, Regions and Built Environment

Friday 12th - Closure of negotiations