Published early this morning, the first draft of the COP26 cover decision that is due to be agreed this week urges countries to “revisit and strengthen” their 2030 climate plans by the end of 2022.
Environment
10 November 2021
UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa sits among other COP26 delegates. Kiara Worth/UNFCCC
The first draft of the COP26 summit’s final statement urges countries to “revisit and strengthen” their 2030 climate plans by the end of 2022 to meet the world’s targets of holding global warming to 1.5oC and well below 2oC.
Countries have also agreed to accelerating the phasing out of coal and of fossil fuel subsidies in the draft so-called cover decision to be reached in Glasgow in coming days. If that reference remains in the final statement agreed by 196 countries later this week, it will be the first time in history that the outcome of a UN climate summit or international climate treaty has explicitly mentioned fossil fuels, the main driver of global warming.
The text was expected around midnight but negotiators worked through the night, with a version finally published just before 6am this morning. The current draft is far from set in stone, and the reaction of countries today will dictate what stays in, what gets improved and what gets cut.
Despite progress at Glasgow, with a new 2030 pledge from India and several ‘sectoral deals’ covering deforestation and more, an analysis found yesterday that the world is still on course for 2.4oC of warming by the end of this century, well off the 2015 Paris Agreement’s temperature goals of 1.5oC and 2oC.
The cover decision this morning acknowledges that gap. The document “recalls” an article of the Paris Agreement that allows countries to deliver a better 2030 climate plan at any time, and “urges” countries to “revisit and strengthen” those plans by the end of 2022 to “align” with the temperature goals. Before Glasgow, they were not expected to bring forward new plans until 2025, and those would be for action on emissions post-2030, not by 2030.
Surprisingly, the text also “calls upon parties to accelerate the phasing-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels”. Although the language is woolly, even its inclusion in the text makes a significant step for UN climate negotiations. However, it is considered unlikely to remain in its current language after pushback from some countries later today.
Another key element of the draft agreement is a commitment by developed countries to double the finance they give to developing countries for adapting to a warming world. That would see financing double from 2019 levels to around $40 billion, although with no timetable for when that must be delivered.
UK prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to arrive at COP26 today, to help governments agree a final deal.
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