By Laurie Goering

GLASGOW Thomson Reuters (NYSE.) Foundation – On Sunday, UK hosts warned “lights flashing red on climate change dashboard” and the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit began in Glasgow. The summit was marked with pointed warnings that there are growing risks as emission-cutting promises still don’t add up.

Alok Sharma, Britain’s COP26 President, stated to delegates that “I don’t underestimate the challenge” in reaching an effective deal for reducing emissions.

He said, however, that he believed they could resolve any outstanding problems.

The first day of COP26 saw heavy rain in Glasgow. A fallen tree also blocked the train tracks from London. Red-faced delegates were forced to rent or fly last-minute.

Some others struggled with the smartphone apps that govern a daily coronavirus screening regime for participants.

Sharma said that this is “not a normal COP”.

The biggest obstacle to COP26’s success is the G20 meeting in Rome, which saw leaders of G20 major economies support a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius on global temperature increase but offer few concrete promises.

For the COP26 host countries to achieve their goal of “Keep 1.5 Alive”, more ambitious emission-cutting promises will be essential as world leaders arrive in Glasgow for talks on Monday.

Jennifer Morgan, Greenpeace International executive director said that the G20 “was a rehearsal for COP26”, and described the G20’s outcome as “weak”.

Alden Meyer, a senior associate at climate think-tank E3G, noted that “much hard work – especially on issues of climate finance – remains ahead, if COP26 is to reach agreement” on keeping the 1.5C goal in sight.

‘OUT OF EXCUSES’

The opening session of the Glasgow conference saw Patricia Espinosa, U.N. Climate chief, admit that it was extremely difficult to swiftly shift the world’s economy on a more sustainable path in order to prevent increasingly dangerous climate impacts.

We need a transition faster than any humanity has ever made. It’s a huge task. “But humanity is defined by its ingenuity,” she stated.

As negotiators hammer out details about carbon markets and finance, she encouraged them to keep the “big picture in their minds”. She reminded them to remember “what we’re trying to accomplish together…and the trust that has been invested in you by millions”.

Abdulla Shahid (President of U.N. General Assembly) urged negotiators “to be honest with one another and with the rest the world about their past failures in climate action” and “choose hard, but necessary actions”.

We have exhausted all excuses. Shahid, also foreign minister to the Maldives, which is a low-lying nation in the Indian Ocean, said that it was time for them to get serious.

The World Meteorological Organization stated that the past seven years were the hottest ever recorded and the sea level rose to a new peak in 2021 as the discussions began.

The report, released Sunday, called these changes “uncharted territory with wide-reaching consequences for both current and future generations”.

Frank Cownie, the mayor of Des Moines in the United States said there were changes happening beyond the countries that are most susceptible to climate change.

In the U.S. state Iowa, his Midwestern suburb has experienced more extreme weather than ever before, with 10 inches (250mm), rain in 3 hours and hurricane-like 130mph winds.

Cownie (president of ICLEI), an association of sustainable local government, stated that “This is a worldwide catastrophe we all have to get on board, (with all) our hands on deck.” We must prepare for the worst. That’s sort of the new normal.”

CITIES SET THE PACE

Ryuzo Sugmoto, Japan’s Ministry of Environment spoke at a press conference.

He also noted that Japan had 160 local government units, representing 17 million citizens, making carbon-neutral pledges. Japan’s government did not follow suit until last year.

Sugimoto stated that the urgent need to accelerate large-scale emission cuts by 2030, on the road to net-zero in 2050, means the world needs a “decarbonisation Domino effect”. Local governments are often good test grounds to see what’s possible.

Susan Aitken (leader of Glasgow’s City Council) said these changes must also be done in fairness and that they should focus on “taking our residents with us”.

She said that the decline in Glasgow’s industrial power, which began 30-40 years ago, has left Glasgow with lasting mental and physical scars. This includes a legacy of unemployment.

It is now necessary to make a quick switch to greener economics, powered by clean energy. This will require that governments spend “unprecedented amounts” in order to address climate change.

She said, “Climate justice as well as social justice are inseparable.”