The difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees is substantial: every increment of a degree translates into increased risks for people, communities, and ecosystems. The difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees is substantial: every increment of a degree translates into increased risks. One of the main ‘benchmarks for success’ in Glasgow is that as many governments as possible submit new NDCs and, when put together, these are ambitious enough to put the world on track for ‘well below’ 2 degrees, preferably 1.5. The signatories of the Paris Agreement are, however, expected to submit new – and more ambitious – NDCs every five years, known as the ‘ratchet mechanism’.ĬOP26 is the first test of this ambition-raising function. The NDCs submitted in 2015 were collectively not ambitious enough to limit global warming to ‘well below’ 2 degrees, never mind 1.5 degrees. The 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report underscores it is still possible to achieve the 1.5-degree-target but only if unprecedented action is taken now.
To have a chance of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, global emissions must halve by 2030 and reach ‘net-zero’ by 2050. What does COP26 aim to achieve and why is it important?ĬOP26 is a critical summit for global climate action. They communicate these targets to the UNFCCC in the form of ‘nationally determined contributions’, or ‘NDCs’. The Paris Agreement has a ‘bottom-up’ approach where countries themselves decide by how much they will reduce their emissions by a certain year. Its aims are to keep the rise in the global average temperature to ‘well below’ 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels, ideally 1.5 degrees strengthen the ability to adapt to climate change and build resilience and align all finance flows with ‘a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development’. The Paris Agreement is an international treaty signed by almost all countries in the world at COP21 in Paris in 2015.
The ‘pre-COP’ (a preparatory meeting) takes place in Milan, Italy, on 30 September-2 October. Substantial challenges do however remain to ensure inclusivity, and many civil society organizations are calling for a further postponement of the meeting. The UK is seeking to host a physical event and is providing vaccines to delegations who would otherwise not have access to them. Many civil society organizations are calling for a further postponement of the meeting.