Report from The 21 Group meeting to discuss COP-26
The 21 Group met on Zoom at the end of November to review the outcome of the really rather disappointing COP-26 meeting in Glasgow. Annie Duarte took the lead on energy, where many developed countries (including the UK) are making good progress towards reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases which come from the burning fossil fuels, and even China and India have set (distant) targets for their gradual reduction. ‘However, the hope that coal would be ‘consigned to history’ failed in the final few minutes of the conference, but is likely to return for further discussion at COP 27 next year.
Handley noted that it’s much harder to reduce emissions from transport, especially air transport, but ships can burn cleaner fuel, and on land electric vehicles will help where the electricity supply is from non-polluting sources. We can all do our bit by reducing mileage. However analysis of this year’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) still suggests that the continuing accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will lead to temperature increases well above the 1.5 Degree target since pre-indistrial times, which is generally held to be as much as can be tolerated, so the most helpful outcome was probably the decision requiring all states to review their NDCs again in 2022, rather than waiting till 2025. With Donald Trump off the scene there is at least a wide consensus about the science and about the urgency of taking action.