 
The United Nations’ 26th Climate Change Conference or COP26 has just ended on Saturday, November 13, and many participated left the convention with a deeper optimism for the environment of the future. Held in Glasgow, Scotland from 31st of October, 2021 to the 12th of November 2021, this summit showed how the world, collectively responded to the climate change issue. Through the lens of this blog, we will capture several themes and outcomes of COP26 and discuss why it has been recognized as the beginning of a new era in global climate politics.
Opening the Dialogue
COP26 was an opportunity where countries gathered to deliberate on ways of managing green house emission and its effects on climate. More than 100 leaders of the world as well as representatives of governments, international organizations and representatives of non-governmental organizations attended it. The conference’s slogan ‘wise and efficient action in the decade to create and restore’ served as a sound base for the conception of a thought-provoking discussion of bold goals and prompt actionable steps towards climate change.
Agreements and Pledges
The tangible result signatories agreed on during COP26 is the goal of avoiding global warming of more than 1,5° Celsius above the pre-industrial level. To this aim, countries have signed to quit coal generation and ramp up their pledges to reduce emissions by half by this decade. In addition, more than 100 countries committed themselves to non–deforestation by 2030; that will greatly decrease carbon emission.
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Finance and Adaptation
Financing also featured as one of the areas of debate at COP26. The US and other developed countries reiterated their pledge to collectively provide 100 billion US dollars annually in funding for climate change in the developing countries by 2022. Also, with the Glasgow Climate Pact, the countries set a new ambition for the post-2025 period to try to double the share of adaptation finance going to developing nations by 2025.
Supporting the Stakes of Coal
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For the first time ever in the history of the COP process, the fossil fuel phase out and the inefficient fossil fuel subsidies were deemed important tools to fight climate change. But the language of the Glasgow Climate Pact with regards to coal and fossil fuels was toned down at the instance of India, China and Russia.
Advancing Climate Finance
G20 countries confirmed their role in financing climate change and appreciated the need to increase the supply of climate finance. This entails increasing the provision of funds for climate change mitigation and promotion of investment in climate change technologies provided that the flow of such funds is in line with the direction of achieving low emission and climate change resilience.
Climate Technology Improvement
COP26 also introduced the Glasgow Leadership Programme which provides a space for leaders to make the next round of commitments and lead on the action needed for the transition to a net-zero economy. Such commitments included the Methane Emissions Reduction Pledge, which the company wishes to decrease methane emissions by between 30-45% by 2025. This commitment is crucial since methane is many folds more effective in short-term global warming capacity than carbon dioxide.
The Road Ahead
COP26 has seen some achievements and some countries and companies have made rather grand commitments, but that is not all there is to it. Paris Avenue still remains ambitious, and the drive to get to net zero emissions is still on.
Conclusion
The ball is now in our court. The responsibility for change lies with all of us, as citizens and voters, for our leaders, for choosing personal and collective sustainability, and for change in general. The process of healing is, of course, a protracted one, but the newest Global Climate Summit that has just taken place has unveiled a plan of action.
