COP26: A Pivotal Moment for the Planet

From 31 October to 12 November 2021, the UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. Approximately 30,000 delegates, representing over 200 countries, will convene to forge an agreement on the global action necessary to tackle the climate crisis. The UK’s Presidency of COP26 occurs at a pivotal juncture. The world is currently off-course to meet the target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as set out in the Paris Agreement. Comprehensive and immediate global emissions reductions will be needed to re-orient the planet’s trajectory. In the first year of the so-called decade of action, COP26 could be an important turning point in the global effort to limit climate breakdown.

This paper proceeds in three parts. In section I, there is an analysis of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the seminal COP21. Section II turns to COP26 and examines the four primary objectives of the summit. It argues that there are significant challenges to be overcome if the UK is to realise its goals for COP26. The final part of the paper, Section III, analyses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international climate negotiations and argues that a more equitable global vaccine rollout may strengthen the prospect of an agreement at COP26.