ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
COUNTDOWN TO
COP26
WHAT ARE THE GOALS FOR COP26? The key goal is for parties to work together to speed up the action towards meeting international climate goals, specifically to:
Photo credit: IPCC
1. Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach 2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats 3. Mobilise finance 4. Work together to deliver
What is COP26? In November 2021, the United Nations’ annual global climate change conference, also called COP (Conference of the Parties) will be held in Glasgow. Originally scheduled for autumn 2020 and delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, this is the 26th COP conference, and is therefore called COP26. The COP conferences are one of the largest meetings in the world and are key opportunities to achieve more ambitious country commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This year, in particular, the UN gathering is seen as the world’s last chance to seriously act on climate change before it is too late to keep global warming well below the critical 2 degrees Celsius level. It is expected that around 190 world leaders will attend the conference, with talks taking place from 1 – 12 November. Confirmed attendees include the Queen, US President Joe Biden and John Kerry, Pope Francis, Greta Thunberg, and Sir David Attenborough. Depending on the Covid-19 situation this autumn, tens of thousands of businesses, government representatives, negotiators and citizens are expected to crowd the City of Glasgow. The conference takes place at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow. The official COP26 events are not open to members of the public, but to (1) representatives of Parties to the Convention
CONFOR.ORG.UK
THE CURRENT STATE OF CLIMATE CHANGE The Intergovernmental Penal on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report is the latest set of IPCC reports that assess the scientific knowledge on climate change, including our past, present and future climate; its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. The reports inform policymakers on what scientists know about climate change. The latest report shows that the world
and Observer States, (2) members of the press and media, and (3) representatives of observer organisations.
What is happening at the event? The Blue Zone is a UN-managed space which hosts the negotiations. This is the space where official delegates share their stories at panel discussions, side events, exhibits, and cultural events. The Green Zone is managed by the UK Government, and is a platform for the general public, youth groups, civil society, academia, artists, business and others to have their voices heard through events,
is warming faster than we previously thought and that the world must take immediate action to turn things around.
Read all you want to know about the 6th assessment here.
exhibitions, workshops and talks that promote dialogue, awareness, education and commitments. There are also a number of fringe events taking place around the COP 26 venue which will be open to the general public. This includes hubs hosted by media outlets, such as the New York Times (https://climatehub.nytimes.com/) Climate Hub or local groups such as After the Pandemic, (https://afterthepandemic. scot/) a Scottish-focused site. Visit the official conference website for more information closer to the event date www.ukcop26.org
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