Interview: The most impactful actions at COP26 point to progress on climate change   

Speaking successful an exclusive interrogation with Alexandre Soares of UN News, Martina Donlon acknowledged that after 2 weeks of pugnacious negotiations, the text that serves arsenic the conference's outcome is “a compromise that it is not enough”, particularly for tiny land States and different susceptible countries. 

However, it does provide some “positive steps forward”. 

Indeed, she said, with the agreement by negotiators astatine COP26 to begin moving away from fossil fuels, “we volition spot much electrical cars and they volition go much affordable, and progressively powered by upwind and star energy”. 

Phasing down coal 

Ms. Donlon pointed retired that at the decision of the conference, countries agreed to accelerate enactment during “this decisive decade” to cut global emissions successful half, to scope the somesthesia extremity of 1.5C, as outlined successful the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. 

The COP26 outcome document, known arsenic the Glasgow Climate Pact, besides calls connected 197 countries to present stronger nationalist enactment plans for progressively ambitious clime actions next year – moving up the 2025 deadline acceptable retired successful the archetypal timeline – at COP27, which is scheduled to instrumentality spot successful Egypt. 

Moreover, Ms. Donlon noted that the pact calls for a signifier down of ember and a signifier retired of fossil substance subsidies, “two cardinal issues that had ne'er been explicitly mentioned in a determination astatine clime talks before – despite coal, lipid and state being the cardinal drivers of planetary warming”. 

According to the UN official, Glasgow signaled “an accelerated displacement distant from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy”. 

Doubling fiscal support 

The 2nd astir impactful result of the Glasgow pact is its call for the doubling of concern to enactment processing countries successful adapting to the impacts of clime change. 

“Although this volition not provide all of the backing needed by poorer countries, the information that developed countries agreed to treble their corporate funds for adaptation is simply a large improvement,” Ms. Donlon underscored.  

She stressed that the UN Secretary-General has been pushing for accrued financing to support lives and livelihoods, and said that this would “especially payment slightest developed countries and tiny island” States. 

Unsplash/Patrick Federi

Burning fossil fuels emits a fig of aerial pollutants that are harmful to some the situation and nationalist health.

Methane, ember and forests 

There were a big of different deals and announcements, specified arsenic connected methane, coal, forests and sustainable transport that could each have very positive impacts if they are implemented, the UN authoritative said. 

“However, astir of these are voluntary commitments truthful determination are nary guarantees that Governments, investors and corporations volition deliver,” she said. 

Ms. Donlon acknowledged that portion determination would not likely be an contiguous interaction successful our regular lives, she stressed that the decisions taken astatine COP26 volition affect Governmental actions on a scope of measures and would eventually construe into noticeable differences successful people’s lives. 

And COP26 besides sent a awesome to markets that it is nary longer acceptable to put successful heavy polluting sectors. 

“So, these changes volition person an interaction connected our lives, and astir apt sooner than we think,” she said. 

Glasgow’s ripple effects 

The phasing retired of ember means radical successful heavy polluted cities volition person cleaner aerial to enactment and less respiratory illnesses, the UN authoritative explained.  

Moreover, the summation successful concern for protecting lives and livelihoods would let tiny islands to put in spot aboriginal informing systems for floods and storms.  

And small farmers would person much resilient crops and seeds to support food security. 

Decisions made at the global level “eventually interaction everyone’s lives”, Ms. Donlon attested. 

See beneath for the afloat interview. 

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