26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26)

26th+UN+Climate+Change+Conference+%28COP+26%29

Eric Thorndyke, Writer

Since Sunday, world leader’s have been in Glasgow, Scotland discussing how to best limit the effects of climate change. Previous talks have been well known for not getting much done. Maybe, this time will be different.

Here are some of the achievements of the summit so far:

Roughly $19 billion of funds have been set aside to reverse deforestation by 2030. Most of the money will go towards anti-desertification efforts in Africa and preservation of the Amazon rainforest in South America.

Forty nations, including the US, have agreed to create the framework for a market of new technologies. When investors know which markets are opening in which countries, it can dramatically decrease pricing.

India, the world’s third largest emitter, has finally set a date for reaching net zero emissions.

Over 80 countries have signed a pledge committing to reducing methane emissions by thirty percent before 2030. The deal was a collaboration between US President Biden and EU Commision President Von der Leyen.

While countries at the conference have come up with some major agreements, a few important countries have ditched the meetings altogether.

China refuses to attend, reasoning that empty words will get nowhere, and that actual progress needs to be made. The US and EU, the largest and third largest emitters at the conference, actually have stable emission levels, and plan to reach net zero by 2050. China, however, does not have stable emissions, and has even failed to give a date by which they will.

Russia is also absent. This was expected, however, as Russia does not have any concrete plans for emissions reductions, and because most of Russia’s influence abroad comes from it’s gas sales.

Sources:

BBC News

Deutsche Welle

un.org