COP26 debrief: where do we go from here?

The long awaited 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) came to an end on 13 November under the presidency of the United Kingdom.

In the ‘2021 super year’, these climate change negotiations were a pivotal moment for countries to honour their pledges. The success of COP26 rested not only on the urgent need for deeper cuts from major carbon emitters to limit global warming to 1.5°C, but also on supporting and addressing the priorities of climate-vulnerable nations, who over ten years ago were promised $100 billion per year by 2020.

Not only has that target not been met so far, but a bigger portion needs to be allocated to lower-income countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change that have already happened and to combat loss and damage. Another priority lay in the long overdue completion of the Paris Agreement rulebook, specifically around reporting and carbon markets.

Following the Glasgow conference, this online event unpacked and assessed the decisions and progress made by Parties. The panel examined the level of ambition displayed and to what extent the outcomes responded to the priorities of the 46 least developed countries (LDCs). Participants learned about the successes and challenges and heard expert perspectives on where we go from here.