香港六合彩中特网

Mark Maslin,听
Professor of Earth System Science, 香港六合彩中特网听

Simon Lewis,听
Professor of Global Change Science at University of Leeds and, 香港六合彩中特网听

The Glasgow Climate Pact is incremental progress and not the breakthrough moment needed to curb the worst impacts of climate change. The UK government as host and therefore president of COP26 wanted to 鈥渒eep 1.5掳C alive鈥�, the stronger goal of the Paris Agreement. But at best we can say the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5掳C is on life support 鈥� it has a pulse but it鈥檚 nearly dead.听

The鈥疨aris Agreement鈥痵ays temperatures should be limited to 鈥渨ell below鈥� 2掳C above pre-industrial levels, and countries should 鈥減ursue efforts鈥� to limit warming to 1.5掳C. Before COP26, the world was鈥痮n track for 2.7掳C of warming, based on commitments by countries, and expectation of the changes in technology. Announcements at COP26, including new pledges to cut emissions this decade, by some key countries, have reduced this to a鈥痓est estimate of 2.4掳C.听

Jacqueline听McGlade,听
Professor, Resilience and Sustainable Development听

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This was the first COP where we were no longer defending the science of climate change against sceptics and vested interests. Instead, the realisation of urgency and financing was front and centre. This was an immense shift and well overdue.听听

The other aspects that need to be welcomed are the overall emphasis placed on the need for nature-based solutions to protect and restore nature and ecosystems to achieve 1.5oC, the work to be undertaken on a global adaptation goal,听the new balancing of adaptation and mitigation financing, the phasing-out of inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies and the inclusion of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases including methane. These all speak volumes to the science and evidence that has been amassed over the years and has finally come home.听听

Greater recognition of the role of communities and indigenous peoples is also now truly at the core of the agreement 鈥� it is not just about governments and big industry. But the misstep by the UK government about not bringing practitioners such as farmers, land stewards, technology innovators and private financial institutions into the main discussions leaves me wondering about how governments think they will manage to implement the changes they have signed up for?听

Matt Winning,听听
Senior Research Associate at the鈥�香港六合彩中特网鈥疘nstitute for Sustainable Resources听

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Climate finance was high on the agenda at COP26 in two ways. Firstly, public finance in the form of funding. The $100 billion听promised by developed countries for a decade was still not met and was therefore rightly a point of contention. There was, however, some improvement in balancing finance for adaptation, the share of which will be doubled by 2025. Secondly, private finance was on the agenda听as Mark Carney spearheaded the oddly titled GFANZ听(Glasgow听Financial Alliance for Net Zero)听initiative. A听headline number of $130 trillion of investment towards Net Zero was banded about. There is a need for that level of investment and how this plays out, in reality,听will be crucial for delivery of net zero targets.听

For COP27 my hopes are pinned on loss and damage and on the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) becoming more central to the UN process in order to speed up both assistance for those on the front line and the necessary global reduction in fossil fuels.听

Lisa听Vanhala,听
Professor of听Political Science听

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There has been important progress on听the听Loss and听Damage听(from the climate听impacts that we won鈥檛 be able to prevent or adapt to)听in Glasgow over the last two weeks. But much of this came from outside the negotiating rooms. The negotiators working on loss and damage began to flesh out what the Santiago Network 鈥� established two years ago - should be doing to support countries in a practical way. But progress was slow and calls from developing countries to set up a Loss and Damage Facility to provide finance went unheeded. What was agreed instead was the 鈥淕lasgow Dialogue鈥� to discuss funding arrangements over the coming year.鈥�听

One surprise in Glasgow was the symbolic and material support on loss and damage coming from those outside the negotiating room. First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon听听拢2m of funding to alleviate the impacts of climate change. This was augmented by a $3m dollar听听from philanthropic sources. Since then, the听Wallonian听climate minister in Belgium has also committed 鈧�1m. My hopes for COP27 are听for听the Glasgow Dialogue听to be听taken seriously and听for听significant progress on funding and听capacity听building听for听developing听countries.听听听

Jim Watson,
Professor of Energy Policy听

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Overall, the Glasgow Climate Pact is a positive outcome of COP26. Whilst it is clearly nowhere near enough to avoid dangerous climate change, it achieved more than many of us expected. It just about meets the objective of 鈥榢eeping 1.5 degrees alive鈥�.听

The request for countries to update their 2030 emissions reduction plans next year is essential. It will keep up the pressure to deliver on some of the eye-catching announcements that were made 鈥� including those on phasing out coal and accelerating investment in low carbon technologies.听

The last-minute haggling over phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and coal-fired power was very disappointing. The Pact鈥檚 language had already been watered down at least twice, and that should have been enough for sceptical countries like China and India.听

However, having any reference to fossil fuels in a UNFCCC negotiated agreement is a first. Combined with the widespread support from many countries for a phase out, this sends a strong signal to large coal users that they need to do more to accelerate their transition towards low carbon technologies. The 鈥榮ide deal鈥� concluded with South Africa to provide finance in return for such an accelerated transition is a good example of how international collaboration could help to achieve this.听

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Priti听Parikh,听
Head of Engineering at the听香港六合彩中特网听International Development Centre听

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In week one at COP26, the Indian Prime Minister set out an ambitious target to reach net-zero by 2070, obtain 50% of energy from renewables and reduce carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030. Between now and 2050, 2 billion people will be added to the planet with most of the growth happening in developing nations. Nations like India will need to upscale investment in infrastructure and housing to improve quality of life in a climate resilient manner.听

The $US100 billion which was promised in 2009 has not been forthcoming. The lack of finance and exclusion of vital clauses on loss and damages means鈥痶hat sadly developing nations do not have resources to address climate change. This played out in the last hour of COP26 when a joint intervention by India, China and the US led to watering down of the text on coal in the Glasgow Climate Pact.听听

I hope that COP27 will support technology transfer, resource allocation for clean technologies for local communities and investment in infrastructure to tackle climate change in developing nations.听

Listen to 香港六合彩中特网's Generation One post-COP podcast episode with Priti

Richard Taylor,
Professor of Hydrogeology听

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COP26 revealed a growing rift between perceptions of the urgency and scale of change required to address the causes and impacts of climate change from scientists and climate activists, and what governments deem politically viable.听 Clashes between governments from low- and high-income countries also revisited longstanding issues of climate injustice.听听听

A fuller, more truthful accounting of the inequities arising from historical carbon emissions by high-income countries and disproportionate impacts of climate change experienced in low-income countries will likely be a prerequisite for progress at COP27 in Egypt next year. Discussion of the threats posed by climate change to water and food security were conspicuously limited at COP26. Further, climate finance remains less than promised, problematic to access, and rooted in trickle-down economics. The latter disfavours decentralised, nature-based solutions reaching the people most affected by climate change.听 Addressing these climate injustices will be no doubt determine the success of COP27.听

Simon Chin-Yee,听
Lecturer in International Development听

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From a climate justice perspective, there are听two major shortcomings at COP26. The first was the watered-down language in the Glasgow Climate Pact, referring to the phase-down of 鈥榰nabated鈥� coal power and 鈥榠nefficient鈥� fossil fuel subsidies. Language matters. The change in language from phasing out to phasing down, as well as the addition of unabated/inefficient, could give industrialised and large emitting countries permission to interpret what inefficient subsidies actually are. The second was the resistance of the Global North (notably the United States and the European Union) to establish a fund for Loss & Damage, that had been pushed for earlier in the summit. Both this fund and action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for the most vulnerable communities and countries (small island states, sub-Saharan African countries etc.) who were under-represented at this year鈥檚 COP, and who are also those already feeling the effects of a warming globe most acutely.听听

There were a lot of pledges at COP26.听What I would like to see over the next 12 months, is听that听the developed countries and the larger emitters not only increase their听ambition,听but听demonstrate their willingness to actually听turn听these听pledges听into actions. If the world is to limit global warming to 1.5掳C, then countries will need to reassess their climate policies and actions on a yearly basis - and COP27 Sharm el Sheik will need to demonstrate that they have. 鈥�听听

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Angelica Johansson,听
PhD Candidate, 香港六合彩中特网听Department of Political Science听

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The UK听听argued that they were committed to making COP26 transparent, inclusive and in solidarity with all countries. The digital听听was听developed for those who could not attend the meeting in person. Yet, reports from participants inside the venue sharply criticised the summit, describing it as听. At COP26, I paid attention to the specific spaces Observers and Parties engaged in during the COP. The first two days of COP26 hosted the听, leaving the negotiation zone inaccessible to Observers.听听

My hope for COP27, which is scheduled to take place in听听in 2022, is that the transparency of the negotiations and the participation is improved so that we who study these processes, and campaigners can better observe and report on the process and its outcome.听听

Rodney Harrison,
Professor of Heritage Studies听听

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While it is clear that current emissions targets are not ambitious enough to keep global heating below 1.5C, and that developed nations continue to drag their heels on finance for adaptation, loss and damage, if there is one positive legacy of COP26 Glasgow it may be the less well reported听, which emphasises the importance of empowering all members of society to engage in climate action, through education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information and international cooperation and requires countries to report on progress on this. Cultural institutions such as museums and educational institutions such as schools and universities are specifically mentioned as key organisations through which to deliver the objectives of the work agreement. Governments will only make changes if publics continue to push hard for change, and all institutions have a role to play in empowering publics to take action for climate. It will only be through widespread mobilisation of public participation in climate action that further progress towards keeping emissions below 1.5C will be possible at COP27.听听

Rodney is co-lead on Reimagining Museums for Climate Action, a project which works with the principles of Action for Climate Empowerment in the cultural sector. 听

Tom Dolan,听
Senior Research Associate, 香港六合彩中特网 Engineering听

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I was blown away by the innovative spirit, passion, energy, professionalism, sense of duty and collective belief buzzing around, and by the sheer scope and breadth of thinking and potential actions being championed in, the COP26 Blue Zone. The emphasis on the Race听to听Resilience, and the power and significance of听nature-based solutions, as complementary to the Race听to听Zero and technologically led transformation of the energy infrastructure put a spring in my step. Three days at COP26: re-energised me with the belief that we as a global community can successfully tackle the Climate听Emergency; and strengthened my conviction that systemic perspectives on governance and national infrastructure are critical components of any successful response.听

By contrast, I was floored and frustrated by the draft pact, and not much happier with the final Glasgow Climate Pact. Both fail to capture the inspirational spirit of the blue zone; or address growing public demand for the scale of visionary political leadership urgently needed to deliver a resilient, equitable, just, net zero global future.听听

Therefore, we must make every day between now and COP27 count if the outcome from COP27 is to reflect the urgent global necessity.听

Robbie Mallett,听
香港六合彩中特网听Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling听

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With scientists now confident about the key impacts of exceeding 1.5 or 2掳C of warming, it was the job of politicians at COP26 to make staying within those limits possible.鈥�听

Looking back on the conference, it seems that staying under 2掳C is now more likely than ever, but hope for 1.5掳C is all but lost.鈥�听鈥痠ndicates that currently enacted policies will lead to warming of around 2.7掳C. If countries end up meeting their current long-term net-zero promises, global warming will likely peak at 1.9掳C.听

On one hand, the mismatch between policies and promises is stark: the political will to legislate past promises is already faltering in the听US, and听may suffer elsewhere in a post-covid world. However COP26 is not the end of the UN process: the often overlooked听鈥痺ill now gather pace, requiring countries to strengthen and communicate their plans more frequently. And the 鈥淧aris Rulebook鈥� for emissions transparency is now in place after six years of discussion.鈥�听

With the climate crisis now upon us, we can no longer simply avoid the issue as we could have done decades ago. Glasgow shows that all victories will now be compromises, and all will come at a cost.听

Ryan听Bellinson,听
香港六合彩中特网听Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose听

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Throughout COP26, I found the 鈥榦fficial鈥� discussions in the blue zone perplexing and disconnected from reality. The IPCC found in their 2018 on Global Warming of 1.5C that global carbon emissions need to be halved by 2030 for the planet to have a high likelihood of limiting warm to 1.5. This requires deep systemic change throughout society, far beyond pedantic squabbles over phasing-out 鈥榰nabated鈥� coal and 鈥榠nefficient鈥� fossil fuel subsidies.听

The voices of Indigenous communities, poor and working-class peoples, minorities, frontline communities and scientists were deafeningly absent from sanctioned debates at COP26. To enable bold and inclusive climate action in line with what is called for by science demands non-traditional approaches to collaborative deliberation and consensus building where civil society has an active role in decision-making. A kernel for that alternative participative decision-making approach could be glimpsed within a听small contingent of alternative听perspectives that were 'allowed' to have a small voice within the official side lines of COP26. The spokesperson for the COP26 Coalition spoke to this when powerfully stating听during the conference鈥檚 closing plenary that, 鈥渢he people are rising up across the global to hold our governments and corporations to account 鈥� and make them act.鈥� 鈥疶o achieve a truly just transition, COP27 must be a beacon for inclusive and participative decision-making.听

Mark Maslin,
Professor of Earth System Science, 香港六合彩中特网听

Simon Lewis,
Professor of Global Change Science at University of Leeds and, 香港六合彩中特网听

Carbon markets could throw a potential lifeline to the fossil fuel industry, allowing them to听claim听鈥渃arbon offsets鈥� and carry on business as (nearly) usual. A tortuous series of negotiations over article 6 of the Paris Agreement on market and non-market approaches to trading carbon was finally agreed, six years on. The worst and biggest loopholes were closed, but there is still scope for countries and companies to game the system.听

Outside the COP process, we will need much clearer and stricter rules for company carbon offsets. Otherwise expect a series of expos茅 from non-governmental听organisations听and the media into carbon offsetting under this new regime, when new attempts will emerge to try and close these remaining loopholes.听

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Marie Williams,
香港六合彩中特网 Institute of Global Prosperity

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Achieving tangible and measurable action within the draft agreement was always going to be a challenge due to the fact 197 countries needed to agree to the terms and conditions within it.听The agreement 鈥榬ecognizes that limiting global warming to 1.5 掳C requires rapid, deep and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions, including reducing global carbon dioxide emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, relative to the 2010 level and to net zero around mid- century, as well as deep reductions in other greenhouse gases鈥�.听However it听was disappointing to see that the nations represented had not made quantifiable or measurable decisions to听demonstrate their political and financial will to reach the 1.5听掳C听.听The听built environment currently accounts for 38% of green house gas emissions globally and will need to take accelerated听action to drive towards the 1.5听掳C听goal, as the agreement suggests.听

Although the agreement suggest well below 2掳C听should be the aim, we are aware of the catastrophic and widespread devastation that will arise from exceeding 1.5掳C听听pre industrial levels. The buildings and public spaces in cities and surroundings towns can and must do more to mitigate against the effects of climate change and achieve the long term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies the agreement calls for. Many of strategies and technologies we require are already available - from听the adoption of digital twins technology, to adapting the energy network within buildings to respond to increasing temperatures, to the implementation of heat pump systems, to retrofitting homes for improved insulation, to the integration of cleaner transport infrastructure, to the adoption of timber building materials, to听offsetting measures such as green roofs and tree planting, through听to the use of data to understand building occupation to promote enhances utilisation of under-utilised spaces. However these solutions were not widely promoted at COP26 and are not even suggested within the agreement. Yes we need place based solutions but听governments must provide the policy, support, investment and financial incentive to enable businesses, property owners and local communities to implement the technology and strategies required. The听UK government effectively promised to enable this step change in behaviour and operation in June 2001 when they enshrined in law in the net zero target, committing the UK to reduce emissions by at least 100% below 1990 levels by 2050.

We must not forget that millions of people are forecasted to migrate to cities as a result of the impact of climate change induced floods and droughts, on the livelihoods and living conditions of rural and听indigenous communities that rely on the natural environment to survive and thrive. Globally,听we will need to keep building homes to account for migration, the growing trend towards urbanisation as well as population growth. As we do, the听built environment sector must ensure they adopt technology and strategies to drive down greenhouse gas emissions across the energy, transport, construction and green spaces it intersects with. With government support, business can collaborate with local communities to implement more equitable, place based solutions听to rapidly drive towards net zero by 2030 to enable us to actually achieve 1.5听掳C instead of retreating back to 2听掳C听and causing the premature death of millions of lives and environments. The devastation cannot be reversed, our actions can.

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