Cop26: What has been achieved and agreed by leaders at the climate summit?
The IndependentSign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The main goal of Cop26 – and its unofficial strapline – is to “keep 1.5 alive”, meaning countries must commit to reducing world fossil-fuel emissions to net zero by 2050 – the date by which the UN has said further emissions will mean global average temperatures will rise at least 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Nations’ short-term plans would result in 2.4C of global heating Countries’ short-term climate plans are still far off what is needed to meet the Paris agreement’s target, a new analysis concludes, as the UK admitted there was still a “mountain to climb” before the finale of the Cop26 climate summit. Cop26 draft outcome urges countries to strengthen efforts A draft “cover decision” setting out the potential outcome from the Cop26 climate summit has been published by the UK presidency of the talks. Speaking to Bloomberg on Tuesday in Glasgow, Scotland, Mr Kerry said: “By 2030 in the United States, we won’t have any coal.” US and China make pact to cooperate on climate crisis Late on Wednesday night the US and China made a joint declaration at the Cop26 summit to accelerate measures in the 2020s to tackle the climate crisis.