Countdown to COP

By Sophie Morello

This week in the countdown to COP26….The Wombles announced a comeback to support the government’s Together for Our Planet campaign. The new green ambassadors will feature in a series of social media videos showing how we can all go #OneStepGreener.

In more serious news, the pressure continues for the UK Government to prove progress against its carbon reduction commitments. The Green Alliance’s net zero policy tracker reported the UK is veering a long way off its net zero targets. Analysis revealed current policies and spending will reduce emissions by less than a quarter by 2030, while it has committed to a 78% reduction by 2035.

Analysis by the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) meanwhile rated the UK as ‘nearly sufficient’ in taking climate action that is consistent with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5˚C warming limit. CAT said the momentum on updating 2030 targets for climate action has stalled since May, with no major emitters putting forward stronger climate targets.

And following calls last week for COP26 to be delayed so that more representatives from developing countries can join in-person, US climate envoy John Kerry insisted it must go ahead in conversation with the FT.

Next week, we’ll be watching Climate Week NYC, hosted by Climate Group in conjunction with the UN. The UN General Assembly coincides with the event, and government and business leaders are expected to meet on the fringe of the Assembly to drive forward climate action ahead of COP.