Debate: Outcome of the COP in Glasgow
Date: WEDNESDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 2021
Speaker: Anže Logar
Language: EN

The UK Presidency of COP 26 had set four main objectives that needed to be achieved: securing global net zero by mid-century and keeping the 1.5-degrees target within reach; adapting to protect communities and natural habitats; mobilising finances; finalising the Paris Agreement rulebook. After two weeks of intense discussion, COP 26 resulted in the completion of the Paris Agreement rulebook and kept the Paris target alive, improving our chances of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Glasgow climate pact is a result of complex climate negotiations. It is a package on which almost 200 parties reached a consensus.  As regards mitigation,  parties noted with serious concern the current gap between the aggregate mitigation pledges and the 1.5-degree goal, despite several net zero announcement. For this reason, parties are asked to submit a Paris-aligned 2030 target in 2022, and an annual high-level ministerial roundtable on pre-2030 ambition will be convened from 2022 onwards.  In a break from previous COPs, parties for the first time are called upon to accelerate efforts toward the phase-down of unabated coal power and phase-out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.  During the first days of COP 26, parties also announced a series of initiatives and commitments that bring the world closer to achieving the Paris goals. Most notably, leaders signed the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, committing more than 140 countries to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030, and the Global Methane Pledge, committing 100 countries to collectively reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030. The Commission signed this commitment on behalf of the European Union. As regards adaptation, a comprehensive two-year work programme on the global goal on adaptation will be launched. Moreover, the Santiago Network for catalysing technical assistance to address loss and damage as a result of climate change has been strengthened, which is in particular important for the most vulnerable countries.  As regards finance, the Paris parties regrettably noted that the pledge of USD 100 billion in climate finance per year by 2020 has not been met. However, developed countries committed to reaching the goal as soon as possible and to at least double their collective provision of climate finance dedicated to adaptation in developing countries. Parties made considerable progress in the operationalisation of the loss and damage mechanism and decided that the issue of financial commitment would be addressed at COP 27.  One of the main EU goals was the finalisation of the rule book, and this was achieved. As regards the rulebook of the Paris Agreement, the parties adopted rules on the transparency framework, guaranteeing sound reporting on climate action progress. Moreover, parties are encouraged to set five-year common time frames for 2040 onwards. In addition, parties reached an acceptable compromise on achieving rules governing the functioning of a voluntary carbon market, avoiding double counting.  The EU was very well represented in the negotiation stance and as the UK Presidency appointed some EU ministers as lead negotiator, with Per Bolund on finance, Dan Jørgensen on mitigation, Teresa Ribera on adaptation and Carole Dieschbourg on loss and damage. Ministers met daily in EU coordination meetings to share the progress in negotiations and discuss tactics and lines to take to achieve an ambitious compromise. On this occasion, they were debriefed by the COP 26 President, Alok Sharma, and by the UN Secretary General, António Guterres. And I know that the European Parliament delegation was present in Glasgow, holding daily briefings with the Slovenian Presidency and following progress closely.  All together, COP 26 represent a significant step forward in global climate action, helping to keep the Paris goals within reach. There is, however, still a lot of work ahead of us in terms of mitigation, adaptation and finance in order to ensure a safe future for humanity on this planet.