Last November 12, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) culminated in Glasgow, bringing together more than 200 government representatives with a clear objective: to accelerate climate action to comply with the Paris Agreement.
Below, we round up everything you need to know about COP26.
Main advances of COP26
1. The commitment of more than 100 countries to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
The European Union and the United States kicked off this commitment with a joint alliance that aims to reduce GHG emissions by 30% this decade. Some 100 countries have joined in the effort to achieve this goal, which would limit the rise in temperatures to 0.2°C by 2050.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission (EC), stated that “by meeting this target, we will immediately slow down climate change”.
To comply with this agreement, signatory countries have been asked to return by the end of 2022 with stronger commitments to reduce their emissions by 2030.
2. Climate peace between China and the US.
China and the US have pledged to work together to accelerate the fight against climate change.
Both countries presented a joint declaration for this decade, in which they commit to work on accelerating the fight against the climate crisis we are experiencing.
One of the highlights of this declaration is the Asian country’s commitment to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce its methane emissions, which are responsible for approximately 25% of global warming.
3. Use of clean energy
The Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda establishes the collaboration of more than 35 countries, the European Union and India, among others, to promote the use of clean energy in all sectors by 2030.
This agenda also includes the support of the private sector for carbon neutrality objectives.
4. Climate finance
There is a particularly urgent call for developed countries to work towards meeting the $100 billion climate finance target. In order to achieve this, multilateral banks will need to align their investment portfolios with the Paris Agreement.
5. Denmark’s initiative
Mette Frederiksen, Danish Prime Minister, said at a press conference at COP26: “We urge the IMO to take action to set ambitious targets to achieve zero-emission shipping by 2050.”
This initiative is intended to gain the support of more countries. Under this premise, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is already considering new measures to reduce emissions by 2023.
Carbon-neutral sea freight is vital to achieving our climate goals.
As a result of these statements, nine multinational companies have already committed to switch their entire shipping system to zero-carbon ships by 2040.
6. Towards zero emissions by 2050
The main objective of this conference was to address key strategic issues in the rapidly evolving decarbonization of shipping, as well as to showcase its efforts to deliver a sustainable future for the sector.
Due to increasing pressure from both industry and politics to raise the target from 50% to 100%, during COP26, 12 countries, including the United States, Denmark and Panama among others, supported the common proposal to reduce global shipping emissions to zero by 2050.
In order to meet this challenge, the United Nations maritime agency is meeting with the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) during the week of November 22-27, 2021 in order to set the goal of this historic agreement.
At EccoNetwork we are generating environmental awareness and contributing to the decarbonization of international freight transportation through the use of our cutting-edge EccoNetwork platform calculation and reduction of CO2 emissions in transport.
EccoNetwork, leading the change!