COP26 opens in Glasgow with calls for ambitious solutions to tackle climate emergency

With the authoritative opening of the two-week league coming hours aft preliminary clime talks betwixt satellite leaders astatine the G20 acme successful Rome saw small guardant movement, and the merchandise of a cardinal study from the UN upwind agency, WMO, informing that the past 7 years are acceptable to beryllium the hottest connected record, and our satellite is heading into “uncharted territory”, the stakes for COP26 couldn't beryllium higher.

Upon his departure from Rome, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said successful a tweet that portion helium welcomed the G20’s recommitment to planetary solutions, he was leaving the acme with his hopes unfulfilled.

“But astatine slightest they are not buried,” helium said, and added: “Onwards to Glasgow and COP26 to support the extremity of 1.5 degrees live and to instrumentality promises connected concern and adaptation for radical and planet.”

Mr. Guterres is addressing the COP26 World Leader’s Summit, which brings unneurotic Heads of State and Government, civilian nine and concern leaders, who person been invited to acceptable retired the ambitious actions they are taking to trim emissions, scale-up adaptation and mobilize finance, and to awesome their committedness to ensuring that COP26 keeps 1.5°C successful reach.

‘A hard truth’

Addressing the Conference's preliminary opening connected Sunday, Abdulla Shahid, the President of the UN General Assembly called for an honorable look astatine wherever things stand: “We person had decades to reason the facts astir clime change, astir the powerfulness of renewables, astir the good details of monitoring oregon cost-sharing. Yet, we person inactive failed to enactment with the condemnation and determination required.”

“That whitethorn beryllium a hard truth, but it is the truth.” And yet, “another truth: we are wholly susceptible of turning this around, if we truthful choose,” Mr. Shahid stated, declaring: “We person the science. We person the resources. We hold connected the urgency. We person tally retired of excuses. It is clip to bash the close thing. Let america enactment together…and get this done.”

UNFCCC/Kiara Worth

UN General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid delivers remarks astatine the opening of the COP26 Climate Conference successful Glasgow, Scotland.

‘Greater ambition now’

Meanwhile, Patricia Espinosa, the Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change (UNFCCC), said the satellite was connected way for a planetary somesthesia emergence of 2.7C – acold from the agreed 1.5C goal. “Clearly, we are successful a clime emergency. Clearly, we request to code it. Clearly, we request to enactment the astir susceptible to cope. To bash truthful successfully, greater ambition is present critical,” she underlined.

“We person nary prime but to marque COP26 a success. For that, we request unity of purpose. We request to permission Glasgow with a balanced bundle of decisions that reflects the positions of each countries. With a willingness to compromise among the galore perspectives we tin get astatine workable, ambitious solutions that volition assistance america support the 1.5C extremity wrong reach. We basal acceptable to enactment with each Parties and to permission nary dependable down to scope this important goal,” Ms. Espinosa said.

There’ll beryllium overmuch much to travel connected each Monday’s activities, but successful the meantime, cheque retired our explainer, which volition springiness you each the details astir COP26, and archer you what’s astatine the bosom of the discussions that volition beryllium taking spot implicit the adjacent 2 weeks.

UN News has you covered

UN News has a squad of reporters successful Glasgow that volition beryllium bringing you up-the-minute sum of the events astatine COP26, arsenic good arsenic interviews with UN officials, clime experts and influencers, and adjacent a fewer surprises. Follow america here.

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