COP26 Day 12 | It’s finally crunch time
Euronews Green delivers a Special COP26 email to my mailbox every day during the two weeks it is running (01-12 November 2021). I’ll publish it in its entirety for those who are interested. This is the ninth in the series.
Today’s takeaway
COP26 was due to wrap at 7pm CET today but there is still no white smoke for a final agreement as this newsletter goes to publication. If the almost 200 countries involved in the talks are unable to strike a deal this evening, it is likely COP26 will go into overtime.
A new draft decision published early this morning appeared to water down the language from the previous text calling to end all use of coal and phase out fossil fuel subsidies completely. While the change has sparked criticism from climate activists, some conceded that the draft text at least had the merit of retaining a mention to fossil fuels for the first time in decades of UN climate talks.
The draft cover deal has also retained a core request for countries to set more ambitious climate targets next year. But this request appears to use weaker language than the previous draft, saying the upgraded pledges should take into account “different national circumstances.”
On the positive side, many observers find the new text stronger on climate finance. “We’ve moved from richer nations largely ignoring the pleas of developing countries for promised finance to tackle climate change, to the start of recognition that their calls should be met,” said Greenpeace chief Jennifer Morgan.
“A small number of key issues remain which require our urgent collective attention,” said COP26 chairman Alok Sharma this afternoon as he urged “a final injection of can-do spirit” to deliver on an ambitious climate deal.
Looking ahead, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates will host the next COPs in 2022 and 2023 respectively, following announcements in Glasgow yesterday. An Egyptian official said the North African country would hold the next climate talks “on behalf of Africa.”
In case you weren’t able to follow along on Thursday, here are five key takeaways from Day 11.
At a glance
Latest draft of COP26 deal ‘waters down’ language on ending coal use
The change in wording suggests a shift away from unconditional demands that some fossil fuel exporting nations have objected to.
Read more
What is ecocide and why is it so important that we enshrine it into law?
Ecocide can literally be translated as “home-kill,” making clear its violence and absurdity. It refers to the destruction humans knowingly do to the environment, from deforestation to ocean plastic pollution. So why is it legal?
Read more
Meet the filmmaker who swapped a London flat for an off-grid boat
In the third episode of Euronews Green’s new video series Low Impact Living, we speak with adventurer and filmmaker James Levelle about being a ‘river nomad’.
Read more
Social exclusive
5 Responses to “As Seen from Afar 11/12/2021”
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thank you so much. Sorry I haven’t beem able to comment much – not that comment is needed, these are so informative just as they are. Is that the Sydney Opera House? It looks rather like it.
No, this is a picture of the COP26 venue is on the bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow. I’m not sure if the opera-house-look-alike is the venue or if it is the circular building next to it.
Comment from Mitch –
By the time some real action is demanded, not even delivered, it will be too late. I’m sorry, but as much as I see predictions as exercises in futility, Stephen Hawking may prove to have been right.
Mitch D.
I’m afraid you are right, Mitch. This COP will deliver nothing but photo-ops for the world leaders and frustration for the countries already losing their battle against the climate change they haven’t caused.
Now India has watered down the resolution on action on coal, it all comes to naught. India is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, coal-polluters in the world and Australia is its main supplier. And as our dear PM has already said: As long as there’s a market for coal and India wants to keep buying it, we’ll keep selling it.
Thanks Lona I did read about India pushing on the coal watering down. Biden just increased Trump’s Gulf sale of oil leases to make it the largest sale for new oil ever around the time he was headed home. Kerry complaining about people not accepting “good” in quest for excellent–I really wonder what fossil fuel company propaganda he was forced to take as truth to consider the preventable end of some countries and millions of deaths is good just because it isn’t worse.