The COP26 wrapped up last week in Glasgow, Scotland with no major breakthroughs, largely due to a last-minute change to a draft resolution on coal action, with negotiators changing language from ‘phase-out’ to ‘phase-down’. Delegates from most vulnerable countries and developing world in general were also left disappointed that the world’s biggest emitters rejected the idea of a special fund on loss and damage, instead favouring efforts to cut emissions – even as they still missed the opportunity to take bold action on the latter. Many activists were quick to note that failure to take decisive action at the UN climate conference was yet another indication that world leaders, especially for wealthy nations, were not walking the talk on global warming, one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Developed countries also continue to fall short of their own commitment to raise US$100 billion annually to help mitigate the impacts of climate change in developing economies. Nonetheless, there is a feeling that Glasgow could turn out to be instrumental in efforts to diffuse the ticking time bomb of climate change, and there is hope it could set the tone for next year’s COP27 in Egypt. There is already a sense of progress from the fact that for the first time fossil fuels and coal emerged as areas that need action during negotiations on how best to cut back on carbon emissions and deliver on the promises of the landmark 2015 Paris climate agreement and the 2016 Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. In addition, delegates appeared to agree on a tangible roadmap toward achieving the goals outlined in the Paris treaty, with measurable targets – which is, by no means, a small feat. Overall, while there is still a long way to go to curb global warming and avert the worst impacts of climate change, environmental activists and other campaigners must not give up; there is a strong indication that pressure is working and that present generations can still rise to the occasion. It might take longer than we all hoped for but, with sustained solidarity, advocacy and engagement, we can get even the most powerful emitters to do the right thing – and help avert a bleak future.
