The 12-day UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) is underway in Glasgow, after a yearlong delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For over 25 years, the UN has been bringing together world leaders and other interested parties to discuss global climate matters. This year’s summit is the 26th annual meeting, thus the name COP26.
Some 25,000 delegates from all over the world are in attendance and have been engaged in discussions and negotiations amid protests conducted by businesses and other lobbyists. The COP26 agenda is focused on securing a recommitment to net zero emissions by 2050 with the expectation of significant progress in terms of reductions over the next decade. It seeks specific pledges that extend beyond aspirational rhetoric, e.g., explicit commitments that address deforestation and methane emissions. Also on the agenda is the topic of packaging significant public and private financing over the next five years to assist developing countries in their efforts to adapt to the disproportionate impact of rising temperatures on their economies and people. Finally, there will be discussions around the available and emerging technologies that hold considerable promise as well as the potential obstacles in their implementation to scale.
Protiviti has issued a flash report summarizing developments and key takeaways from the first week of the summit. Read more here.
