Criticism is mounting over the Cop26 summit because activists and protesters are having doubts about climate action solutions. Thus, delegates were warned to probably extend the answers through the weekend over severe shortfalls on fossil fuel commitments.
- Though the UN conference in Glasgow is due to close on Friday after 12 days long of talks between 27 member states and delegates of almost 100 nations, there has been concern about using weak and non-committal language. So, the conference may extend over this weekend.
- Experts warned that current commitments in the Cop26 draft agreement, published on Wednesday and will continue to be amended in the coming days, are being seriously undermined and not enough for the woefully insufficient commitments on fossil fuels.
- According to the Environmental experts, the target of keeping a 1.5°C rise in global temperatures is usual to allow humanity to survive. But current oil, gas, and coal commitments at Cop26 would not be adequate. This has to minimize to the maximum level.
- Front-line activists have said that the discussions at Cop26 aren’t at all satisfying and should be admired. Youth climate campaigner Vanessa Nakate said the planet was “on the verge of the abyss,” and the science was “unequivocal” about reducing carbon emissions. As she said, thousands of activists “do not see the success being applauded” at the summit.
- Expressing her skepticism at pledges made by world leaders and businesses in Cop26, she said, ‘Promises will not stop the people’s suffering, commitments will not stop the planet from warming.
- “Only immediate and drastic action will pull us back from the abyss.”
- The only way to make this summit a success is if oil, gas, and coal production get fully addressed, said Campaigning organization 350.org. They have called for a timeline for action and solid commitments to an equitable phase-out where rich, fossil fuel-producing countries lead and support less wealthy, import-dependent nations to be part of the transition.
- Climate Action Network UK director Catherine Pettengell said, ‘This Cop had to deliver, avert that disaster and had to act.
‘Looking at the draft that we have, a lot of the elements are in there, but the question I’m left with is where is the ambition, the vision of the Paris Agreement made real, defusing the doomsday device of our own making?’ - She added, ‘This is not a moment for compromise, to allow the process of negotiations to negotiate down to the lowest common denominator. Anything that falls short of the science or moral obligation has no place in the decision text.’
- Cop26 president Alok Sharma said delegates have “no choice but to strain every sinew” to succeed in the climate summit.
- Mr. Sharma added that the last phase of the talks focuses on finding “ways forward” on finance and carbon markets, having worked on the subject extensively over the past year.
Romain Loualalen, global policy campaign manager at Oil Change International, said that scientists all agree that to limit warming to 1.5°C, the expansion of fossil fuel production globally must end, stopping the damage done to the global South. The subsidies which currently support oil and gas corporations should be transferred to pay for losses and damages in developing countries.
