COP26: Time to update policy and practice

COP26 has an ambitious agenda, the UK is making a strong pitch to have domestic green hydrogen policies in place to incentivise investment in decarbonisation; the aim is a thriving hydrogen economy by 2030.

- ANTONIA FILMER

The UK is committed to working with all countries and joining forces with civil society, companies, and people on the frontline of climate change to create action at COP26. The UN Climate Change Conference pre-sessional period begins on 25 October and the main event runs through 31 October-12 November in Glasgow, Scotland.

In 2015 The Paris Agreement was born, a commitment to reduce global warming was made with the aim of 1.5 degrees, to prevent further heatwaves, droughts, low crop yields, extreme rainstorms, ice melt, and higher sea levels. By 2030, global emissions must have halved to reach net-zero by 2050.

Under the Paris Agreement countries agreed to bring forward national plans every five years, setting out how much they would reduce their emissions, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). As of September 2021, the EU27 and 86 countries have submitted their updated NDC’s. The Climate Action Tracker has an interesting overview and analysis of India’s coal and subsidy situation; they report India has not yet submitted updated NDC 2030 targets to the UNFCCC. Its current NDC target would be well overachieved with current policies.

In Glasgow technologies that reduce emissions, collaborations that strengthen adaptation to climate change impacts, and enhanced international cooperation toward energy transition and clean road transport will be sought, as well as developed countries mobilising at least $100 billion in climate finance a year.