It’s been a busy week in Glasgow as COP26 got underway. Thousands are attending for two weeks of discussion and debate on climate change. There’s a lot happening, so we’ve summarised the COP26 headlines from this week.
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COP26 Headlines: Week One
Welcome to our first COP update, helping you understand the key discussions and decisions from the first week of this vital event.
In the build up, commentary has centered on “where Paris promised, Glasgow must deliver”, underlining the absolute need for action.
So, how successful have the first week of talks been? And what’s been on the agenda?
Forests
More than 100 nations promised to end – and more crucially – reverse deforestation by 2030, with a combination of public and private funds totaling almost 14 billion pounds to support this. Forests are important in halting climate change as they absorb vast amounts of CO2, around a third of the CO2 emitted each year. With an area the size of 27 football pitches lost every minute, deforestation has been on the rise and threatens any progress we make in reducing our emissions.
Energy
On Thursday energy was on the agenda and resulted in a landmark agreement of 23 nations making commitments to phase out the use of coal. Coal produces around 37% of the world’s energy but in the process releases not only CO2 but particulate matter which clogs our atmosphere. However, some of the world’s biggest coal users – India, China and the US – are absent from this agreement so many are questioning how much impact it can really have.
Youth Voices
Friday and Saturday saw days of action and protest both in Glasgow and across the world, with youth voices taking centre stage. Greta Thunberg accused COP26 of being a ‘global greenwash festival’ and two weeks of ‘blah blah blah’. The summit has also come under fire for being exclusionary, both to those attending with disabilities and for amplifying already powerful voices.
Whatever the outcomes of COP26, which still has a week to run, the effects are going to be felt by our children and future generations, so the importance of youth voices cannot be underestimated.
Further agreements were made to cut methane production, protect our oceans, move towards more sustainable farming methods and much more. We’ll provide links for further reading so you can get stuck into these topics.
There’s a jam packed agenda for week two, with talks resuming today. Check back next week for our round up of these discussions and a look at what COP26 has managed to achieve.