COP26: The 2021 UN Climate Change Conference

By Caleb B. ‘22

As the winter months approach, the impact of climate change becomes harder to ignore. More and more begin to ask the question of what will be done about this growing threat to the planet. As the seasons change, answers to that question are becoming more readily available with the arrival of the COP26, or the Conference of Parties this November. 

From October 31 through November 13, the COP26 Conference was held in Glasgow, Scotland. While the purpose of the conference is typically to focus on creating and implementing solutions to climate change that are globally accessible, this year’s conference has two central purposes: finalizing and implementing the plans outlined within 2016’s Paris Agreement and working to aid in global pandemic relief. While these two goals may help to focus the conference on what is most important, achieving both goals presents more difficulties. Many nations believe that COP26 is the world’s last chance to successfully combat climate change before its effects become irreversible.

For COP26 to make any progress against climate change, the nations in attendance must examine the policies and initiatives discussed at the COP21 conference. Held in 2016, COP21 is the birthplace of the Paris Agreement, also known as the Paris Accords. The Paris Agreement is the most recent proposed solution to climate change prior to COP26, setting the goal of a total climate increase of no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius in this century while also aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050. It was also agreed that wealthier nations would help provide financing to developing countries in order to assist them in mitigating climate change and building upon their abilities to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Under the Paris Agreement, nations agreed to come forward with plans of how much they would each reduce their emissions to comply with the 1.5 degree increase, which are known as Nationally Determined Contributions, or “NDCs.” These nations also agreed to reevaluate their plans every five years to account for any changes that may occur in order to reflect each nation’s highest ambition. At COP26, one of the primary goals of the conference was to complete the Paris Rulebook, which is the detailed set of rules that make the Paris Agreement a functional solution. 

This year, the 16th annual Conference of Youth (COY) was held three days before the COP26 conference. COY16 is an event that occurs under the jurisdiction of the Official Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At COY16, young climate activists from around the world gather to discuss the future of the Earth’s climate, brainstorm possible solutions, and write a position paper that details a plan to combat climate change. This paper will subsequently be presented at COP26 in the following days. At COY16, the representatives present created a position paper outlining the need for renewable energy sources, sustainable communities and transportation, advocacy for climate justice and underrepresented groups, cultural and environmental conservation efforts, and more. 

After the conclusion of both COY16 and COP26, the nations in attendance created The Glasgow Climate Pact, a summation of the work done throughout the conference. Within the Climate Pact, COP26 President Alok Sharma claims that the 1.5-degree increase established within the Paris Agreement is still a feasible goal, but such a goal will “only survive if we keep our promises. If we translate commitments into rapid action. If we deliver on the expectations set out in this Glasgow Climate Pact to increase ambition to 2030 and beyond. And if we close the vast gap that remains, as we must.” While the COP26 conference provided some of the necessary answers in regards to the solution to the worsening state of the climate, there are still many questions left unanswered.