COP 26 Update December 2021

COP26 Update You won’t be shocked to hear the UN climate summit hasn’t delivered the bold emissions cuts and supportive finance that people and planet desperately need. It became clear early in the talks that success of that level wasn’t really on the cards. After a flurry of flashy (but loophole-filled) announcements at the start of COP26, rich countries have shirked their responsibility to the planet and to the people who’ve done least to cause the climate crisis. However there is hope for the future – if we act together to keep the momentum up. 1. Some countries have recognised the need to end coal, oil and gas. Others committed to stop financing fossil fuels overseas. That happened because people like you demanded progress. 2. The climate movement is bigger and broader than ever before. Networks of groups worldwide have done an incredible job of getting their local communities behind climate action. Billions of people around the world are now demanding change. 3. The UK government is under real pressure to ditch new coal, oil and gas projects. The summit has highlighted the government’s hypocritical position on fossil fuels. Other wealthy countries are under pressure to drop fossil fuels too. 4. The unfairness of the climate crisis has been in the spotlight. Nowhere near enough has been done to support poorer countries that have done the least to cause global heating. But thanks to global protests the issue is finally getting more recognition. 5. Although the media billed COP26 as the last chance to save the planet, it was never the case. It was an opportunity for progress. But progress doesn’t only happen at these UN summits – the climate crisis was never going to be fixed in 2 weeks and so wemust keep up our own efforts together with pressure on the government until the next summit comes around.