Boris Johnson has urged world leaders to make “bold compromises and ambitious commitments” as the Cop26 climate crisis summit enters its final week.
In an intervention marking the half-way point of the meeting, the prime minister warned that his colleagues have “one week left to deliver for the world”.
A week ago around 120 leaders and theirs negotiators, officials and ministers gathered in Glasgow with the stated aim of limiting global warming to 1.5C.
Now teams from 195 countries plus the European Union will work to reach collective agreement on more than 200 pages of text setting out their climate pledges.
Issues which need to be resolved are largely those left open by the 2015 Paris agreement. They include how to track countries’ compliance with their climate commitments, and how to make sure nations are not disadvantaged by pledging to reduce emissions faster.
During the UK’s Cop presidency, leaders have already made commitments which mean that 90 per cent of the world economy is now committed to net zero by the middle of the century.
Significant pledges have also been made to end deforestation by countries representing 88 per cent of the world’s forests, while over 100 states have also agreed to cut their methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 – a significant win. More than 20 states have also committed for the first time to phase out coal power.
“There is one week left for Cop26 to deliver for the world, and we must all pull together and drive for the line,” Mr Johnson said as the summit enters its second week.
“We have seen nations bring ambition and action to help limit rising temperatures, with new pledges to cut carbon and methane emissions, end deforestation, phase out coal and provide more finance to countries most vulnerable to climate change.
“But we cannot underestimate the task at hand to keep 1.5C alive. Countries must come back to the table this week ready to make the bold compromises and ambitious commitments needed.”
