World leaders came to Glasgow to kick off COP26 – a COP that needs to begin the decisive decade for climate action; a COP that must conclude with clear responses to the devastating messages from the recent IPCC report, the UNEP Gap report, the UNFCCC Synthesis report, the IEA 2050 scenario. These reports all clearly spell out the need to raise national ambition – urgently – to keep 1.5°C in reach.
Many leaders made hearteningly strong statements on the need to stay below 1.5°C. Some countries gave us hope – such as the ambitious 2030 clean energy announcement by India and the strong calls, from many developing and climate vulnerable countries, to most capable to raise national targets and enhance implementation.
Adding our voice to theirs, ECO echoes the Barbados Prime Minister’s question: when will Leaders – especially of high-responsibility and capability countries – actually lead? We like hearing Leaders detail what they are doing today, tomorrow and before COP27 to raise national climate ambition and accelerate the implementation of climate action. These early actions shall not be forgotten over 2050 targets.
ECO now wonders how the leaders’ call for global climate ambition will translate to an ambition decision that leads the world to accelerated 1.5°C-compatible implementation. ECO has faith that the Ministerial consultations held by Denmark and Grenada – COP President, please extend their mandate! – will unleash great ideas for the mitigation ambition decision of COP26.
For ECO, a minimum requirement for 1/CP.26 requires the decision to:
- firmly acknowledge the importance of science and the 1.5°C goal;
- annually raise national ambition targets and accelerate climate action immediately – this is in particular needed from major emitters;
- commit to phasing out the major source of the climate problem, namely, fossil fuels production and related finance;
- recognise the crucial role of nature, including the oceans, in keeping 1.5ºC within reach, but as well as, not instead of, ending the fossil fuel era;
- send a clear signal that world leaders will urgently and decisively address the current mitigation ambition gap and move from plans on paper to actual implementation.
The Glasgow – Dhaka Declaration of the Climate Vulnerable Forum as well as the Leaders Statement of the High Ambition Coalition are welcome in this regard and ECO is intrigued by the ideas in those statements. Mitigation ambition cannot stand alone; a truly ambitious COP outcome is equally concerned with addressing the need for increased support and finance, addressing loss and damage including finance and shifting the trillions. After all, the covering decision needs to address all three Paris goals – stay tuned for further ideas on the COP package in upcoming ECO issues!