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| Conference of the Parties 26 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Conference of the Parties 26 |
| Date | 31 October – 13 November 2021 |
| Location | Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Organizers | United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat, United Kingdom, Italy |
| Participants | Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, observer organizations, non-state actors |
Conference of the Parties 26. The 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change convened in Glasgow to advance international Paris Agreement implementation, aligning diplomatic efforts among European Union members, United States, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, Canada, and multilateral institutions. The summit united negotiators, heads of state, finance ministers, and civil society represented by Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, Oxfam International, and scientists from institutions such as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, seeking collective action on mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance.
By 2021, Parties faced escalating impacts documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report, following extreme events like the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, 2021 Western North America heat wave, and the 2021 European floods. The session followed prior diplomatic milestones including the Kyoto Protocol, the Copenhagen Accord, and the Paris Agreement and built on work from previous COPs such as COP21 in Paris and COP24 in Katowice. The UK Presidency worked with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions to coordinate a hybrid programme of ministerial dialogues, technical negotiations, and sectoral summits attended by leaders from G7, G20, and the Commonwealth of Nations.
COP26 set interlinked objectives: catalyse enhanced NDCs to limit warming, operationalize Article 6 market mechanisms of the Paris Agreement, scale up climate finance for adaptation and loss and damage, and finalize implementation guidance from the Katowice Rulebook. Agenda items included decisions on transparency under the Enhanced Transparency Framework, guidelines for cooperative approaches under Article 6, rules for carbon markets touching on registries such as International Civil Aviation Organization mechanisms, and mobilization of public and private capital from institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Investment Bank, and sovereign donors including United Kingdom Chancellor and United States Treasury engagements.
Negotiations involved Parties grouped in negotiating blocs such as the Alliance of Small Island States, the Least Developed Countries Group, the African Group, the Umbrella Group, and the European Union. Key outcomes included the Glasgow Climate Pact endorsed by plenary ministers, operational decisions on elements of the Paris Agreement implementation, and agreements to revisit NDCs. The session reached compromises on coal language amended under pressure from delegations including India and China, debated Article 6 trading rules influenced by negotiators from Norway and Switzerland, and incorporated text about fossil fuel transitions pressed by activists and delegations from Vanuatu and Kiribati.
Parties updated NDCs with pledges addressing sectors such as energy, transport, and land use influenced by commitments from United Kingdom, United States, European Union, China, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Brazil, and India. Major announcements included strengthened net-zero targets by actors like United Kingdom Prime Minister and new sectoral initiatives such as the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, supported by investors linked to BlackRock and multilateral efforts from the International Energy Agency. Coal-related commitments were advanced through initiatives including the Global Coal to Clean Power Transition statement endorsed by a mix of states and subnational authorities such as California and Scotland, while forest and land use pledges drew on coalitions like the LEAF Coalition and commitments from countries including Indonesia and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
COP26 addressed long-standing finance issues including the $100 billion annual mobilization goal established by developed Parties for developing countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Outcomes included arrangements on climate finance roadmaps involving the World Bank, the Green Climate Fund, and bilateral donors like Germany and France. Adaptation dialogue referenced the Adaptation Fund and Loss and Damage proposals debated by delegates from Bangladesh, Maldives, and Philippines. While the summit advanced pledges for adaptation funds and private finance instruments, it did not establish a formal loss and damage finance facility, prompting further negotiations in subsequent UNFCCC sessions involving Parties and groups such as the Like-Minded Developing Countries.
Reactions spanned praise from leaders including representatives of the European Union and criticism from environment organizations such as Friends of the Earth and Extinction Rebellion. Financial markets and industry groups like the World Economic Forum noted shifts in investor expectations, while developing country negotiators highlighted unmet finance commitments referencing past accords such as the Copenhagen Accord. Subnational actors including Glasgow City Council and US states including California showcased parallel pledges, and legal scholars compared COP26 outcomes to precedents like the Kyoto Protocol legal structure and the Paris Agreement framework.
Implementation efforts mobilized follow-up at multilateral institutions including the United Nations, the World Bank, and regional development banks such as the Asian Development Bank and the African Development Bank. Civil society networks led by 350.org and scientific bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change continued monitoring Parties’ NDC delivery. COP26’s legacy influenced subsequent diplomatic rounds including sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and upcoming COPs, shaping trajectories for global climate governance, carbon markets under Article 6, and ongoing debates about finance, equity, and accelerated mitigation across major emitters such as China, United States, India, and the European Union.
Category:Climate change conferences