Blog Post

What is COP26

Sep 23, 2021

What is COP26?

The Climate Change Conference is a meeting of the minds hosted by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help all nations work together in order to preserve and protect our climate.

Launched in 1994, most UN member states committed to the UNFCCC to work together to prevent ‘dangerous human interference’ with the climate.

This annual conference brings governments together to negotiate and agree global climate commitments and treaties.

A different state acts as president of each year, and the UK and Italy have the presidency of COP26. This has been delayed due to COVID-19 and will now be hosted in Glasgow from 1-12 November 2021.

Why is COP26 important?

COP26 is particularly significant, marking five years since COP21 and the landmark Paris Climate Agreement, where 194 UN member states pledged to keep average temperatures well below 2 degrees of warming. It was the first legally binding treaty to do so and countries were individually committed to pursuing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which consist of nationally appropriate emissions reduction targets.

COP26 will be the first time that NDCs are reviewed since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement. It is a significant step in understanding how meaningful the NDCs have been and global progress on climate change. The outcome will also result in plans for the next five-year period of the Paris Agreement.

Its prominent role in COP26 means that a lot of international attention is focused on the political leadership of the UK Government and on business ambition. The outcome of Paris led to increased pressure on businesses to reduce emissions and has seen a significant shift towards net zero ambitions across all industries. It led to investor, policy and regulatory requirements which continue to shape the operating environment for all businesses today. The UK Government has already announced a net zero target by 2050. This has included a wide range of proposed policy interventions and will create opportunities, as well as challenges, for business.

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) should serve as a stark warning to world leaders that the time for inaction is over.

The recent report did not mince words: humanity needs to act immediately and dramatically, or else we will be left with drastic consequences in our future generations' futures.

IPCC report key points:

Global surface temperature was 1.09C higher in the decade between 2011-2020 than between 1850-1900.
The past five years have been the hottest on record since 1850
The recent rate of sea level rise has nearly tripled compared with 1901-1971
Human influence is "very likely" (90%) the main driver of the global retreat of glaciers since the 1990s and the decrease in Arctic sea-ice

How does climate change impact us?

The effects of course will vary depending on where you live:

The new report makes clear that the warming we've experienced to date has made changes to many of our planetary support systems that are irreversible on timescales of centuries to millennia.

The oceans will continue to warm and become more acidic. Mountain and polar glaciers will continue melting for decades or centuries.

The authors believe that 1.5C will be reached by 2040 in all scenarios. If emissions aren't slashed in the next few years, this will happen even earlier. The consequences of going past 1.5C over a period of years would be unwelcome in a world that has already experienced a rapid upturn in extreme events with a temperature rise since pre-industrial times of 1.1C.

It is "virtually certain " that hot extremes including heatwaves have become more frequent and more intense since the 1950s, while cold events have become less frequent and less severe.

"And we will also see an increase in heavy rainfall events on a global scale, and also increases in some types of droughts in some regions of the world."

The IPCC report shows that the lights are flashing red on the climate dashboard We must come together at COP26 and agree ambitious emission reduction targets that lead us to net zero by 2050.

What can we do to support COP26?

Pedalling for a Bright Future - Be the Change

Haslemere residents and beyond are invited to be part of a venture helping the vital battle against Climate Change - to make Climate Action Pledges to be given to the UN Secretary General at COP26.

Thousands of these Pledges, including many from children, will be carried there by Haslemere granny Tess Burrows and her granddaughter Elsie. They will be slogging 600 miles by bicycle, raising awareness for getting around in a sustainable way without using fossil fuels, whatever age. Tess is 73, Elsie 13.

Next time: How can I reduce my carbon footprint?

Community Orchard coming to Lion Green

03 Feb, 2022

Exciting Community Orchard planting event, Lion Green, Haslemere

Pedalling for a Bright Future - We Made It!

by Tess Burrows • 23 Dec, 2021

We cycled 600 miles to COP26 in Glasgow, to feed the positive upwards spiral that is bringing our planet back into balance... Our team, Pedalling For A Bright Future, is 3 impassioned females determined to do something to resolve the climate crisis: ‍ ELSIE - 13 yr old school-girl activist from north Devon, who believes now is the time for the youth to speak-up for their future ‍ TESS - 73 yr old author, adventurer and charity fundraiser from north-east Hampshire, who works for a peaceful Earth - Elsie’s Granny.‍ RIMA - IT professional from north Surrey, campaigner for sustainability & zero waste, who pulls tyres in marathons to highlight the burden we place on our planet. Our journey started near London at the Ankerwycke yew tree in Runnymede where the Magna Carta was born giving rights to humans, highlighting today’s need for rights for the planet .

Haslemere’s Repair Café

by Charlie Kelland • 04 Nov, 2021

Distressed household items can now be repaired at Haslemere's very own Repair Café!

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