COP26 Accused of 'Massive Credibility, Action and Commitment Gap' in New Report - BBC News

11/9/21, 11:26 PM COP26 accused of 'massive credibility, action and commitment gap' in new report - BBC News
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Summary
New analysis suggests the world is on track for 2.4C of warming, despite pledges made by countries for the next decade
Climate Action Tracker says greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 will still be twice as high as necessary to keep temperature rise below 1.5C
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-59213815 1/19
Its report accuses COP26 of a "massive credibility, action and commitment gap", contrasting with optimism following some announcements
last week
Today COP26 discussions are focusing on gender issues around climate change, and how science can be used to find solutions
Women and girls globally are disproportionately affected by climate change
The aim of COP26 is to keeps global temperature rises under 1.5C which scientists say will help us avoid the worst effects
Live Reporting Related Stories
Edited by James Clarke
23:16
Justice and jobs must be the focus of climate plans - Ocasio-Cortez
Reuters
Let’s turn now to US representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been speaking at a COP26 event on climate action.
Ocasio-Cortez - often known simply by her initials AOC - is one of the most vocal voices in US politics advocating radical action on
climate change.
She begins her speech by declaring the US is “back” as a climate leader after the Trump administration - but says her party’s
approach is now “fundamentally different” to before.
She explains they are moving away from “pure market-based solutions” to climate change that were around 10 years ago.
Instead, she says, grassroots activists are now invited to help shape policy, citing the Green New Deal - a radical plan to transform
the economy and tackle climate change.
She says it shows "we can't just pursue decarbonisation" - plans will have to benefit the working class, the vulnerable, frontline
communities, people of colour, women and underserved communities.
Justice and jobs must be the focus of any climate plans, she adds.
“That’s what’s going to make it politically popular and where we’re going to mobilise our economy to meet these aggressive targets.”
23:07
Greenpeace says climate report is 'devastating'
Environment group Greenpeace describes the new report from Climate Action Tracker we've been reporting on this afternoon as
Environment group Greenpeace describes the new report from Climate Action Tracker we ve been reporting on this afternoon as
"devastating" and is urging governments to work with "vigour for a deal to save our common future" and "turn this thing around".
Executive Director
Jennifer Morgan says the report - which predicts the world is on track for a 2.4C temperature rise despite
recent pledges - is like a "telescope trained on an asteroid heading for
Earth".
"We’ve just been told what the future holds," she says of the report. "Everybody knows what we need to
do to change it. No more
excuses, time’s up, our leaders need to deliver, and
now.”
ADVERTISEMENT
22:55
Little Amal 'is a beacon for equality'
James FitzGerald
BBC Minute
Getty Images
The Little Amal puppet is 3.5m tall
More now on the appearance at COP26 from Little Amal - a not-so-little puppet depicting a
refugee girl from Syria.
One of the puppeteers who has animated Amal during her 8,000km journey across Europe has told BBC Minute why today’s
appearance on Gender Day is
so meaningful.
“She can stand for

so much and be a beacon for so many things,” says Sebastian Charles, from Good
Chance Theatre. “It’s a really
positive step in the right direction in terms of
equality.”
Getty Images
Amal cannot communicate verbally but Sebastian says her silence speaks volumes.
“Rather than make political statements, she’s able to just be in the room - and her presence alone sparks conversations”, he explains.
“One of them is climate change, which can be linked to the refugee crisis.”
The 3.5m-tall character was made by War Horse creators The Handspring Puppet Company. Controlling Amal can be a challenge –
and Seb is just one of a team of puppeteers today.
“There’s no book that you can dust off and read how to animate something like this,” he says. “It’s definitely something that you learn
on the job.”
22:40
Kerry says this COP is 'different'
PA Media
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, is among those representing the US at the COP26 summit.
He's appeared today at a panel event organised by Bloomberg.
Kerry describes Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement as showing "vindictive mischief" without science or
economic sense - something he says has hurt the US reputation abroad.
Asked about the pledges made in Glasgow so far, he says he hopes the summit is building into something "very significant" but is
also a "test" and a "checkpoint" on what was agreed in Paris.
"This COP is already different and better than any COP I've ever been to," he says of the conference. "There is a greater sense of
urgency, a greater sense of focus, a greater sense of possibilities."
But the envoy acknowledges there are still "some issues" to be worked out in the coming days.
Asked if the progress being made is enough, Kerry says the US is still "hopeful" other nations - including China - can be brought into
agreements made on methane.
He also says it will be "insanity" not to closely measure the progress being made every year at future conferences in line with
pledges.
22:30
Who is Climate Action Tracker?
New analysis has just been published showing the world is still on course for disastrous warming.
What makes this news so significant is the reputation of the group behind the report - Climate Action Tracker .
The independent organisation has been making these predictions since 2009 and releases a new report every year.
By looking at government policies and pledges, it tracks if the world is getting closer to the agreed aim of limiting global warming to
1.5C degrees.
It's made up of scientists and policy experts from two scientific institutes - Climate Analytics and New Climate Institute.
One of the reasons the group is renowned is because it's very open about its methods - meaning we can all see how the numbers are
added up.
22:23
Chinese media says climate blame lies elsewhere
By Kayleen Devlin, BBC Monitoring
EPA
China is a major polluter - emitting more carbon dioxide than any other country - and air pollution is a problem in cities such as the capital Beijing
Chinese state media have ramped up their efforts to

show the country in a good light around COP26, despite the country's leader not
attending the conference.
We’ve noticed two main narratives emerging: that

China is a “climate champion” and that China is a developing nation – and thus an
argument that the burden of reducing greenhouse gas emissions should fall on more highly
developed countries, particularly the US.
Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Chinese state

newspaper Global Times, tweeted that the US cares about appearing to lead on
climate,
but not about climate change itself.
Meanwhile, China Daily tweeted a cartoon suggesting developed nations had delivered only empty promises.
Earlier this month, CGTN – China’s international

English-language TV network – pointed out in an article that China is the
world’s
largest producer of renewable energy.
But more than half of the

country’s energy still comes from coal – and recent shortages have resulted in
rationing and power cuts.
Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. Read more
here
22:13
How did we get to this confusing situation?
Matt McGrath
Environment correspondent
It seemed like we were making huge progress until this report from Climate Action Tracker was released. So how has the
confusion come about?
The problem comes from the inclusion of long-term pledges to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
More than 140 countries, covering 90% of global emissions, have announced a mid-century-ish carbon neutrality target –
China’s is 2060, India’s 2070.
According to the CAT, these goals are giving “false hope”.
Based on what countries have put on the table for 2030, the world is set to warm by 2.4C by 2100.
Based on what countries have put on the table for 2030, the world is set to warm by 2.4C by 2100.
That picture gets a bit better if you include the US and China long-term targets, dropping to 2.1C.
If every country implemented their long-term net zeros, then 1.8C could indeed be possible.
But the reality is that without a serious plan for 2030, most of these longer-term goals will not be realised.
That’s why the real focus for the negotiators here must be on the actions countries take over the next nine years.
Any deal agreed here will need to have a strong and credible pathway for the next decade.
Otherwise Glasgow will be judged a failure.
Matt McGrath has been covering climate change for the past 15 years, reporting from 10 COPs along the way.
22:09
A false dawn
Matt McGrath
Getty Images
With one sharp jab, this

Climate Action Tracker report has punctured the balloon of optimism that’s been
swelling since the start
of this conference.
The study shows that even

with all the pledges made here over the past 10 days, global emissions of
warming gases in 2030 will
still be double the level needed to keep the 1.5C
temperature threshold alive.
For days now, a number of

observers, including the formerly conservative International Energy Agency,
have been pushing a
narrative that the new net zero goals from countries such as India, plus the long list of announcements made here in Glasgow,
had pushed the
prospective temperature rise this century down to 1.8C.
That seemed like huge

progress from the 2.7C the UN Environment Programme had announced at the
start of the conference.
Matt McGrath has been covering climate change for the past 15
years, reporting from 10 COPs along the way.
22:00
BREAKING World headed for 2.4C warming despite COP26 pledges - report
Getty Images
The world is miles away from its goals on limiting global temperature rise, despite pledges
made at COP26, new analysis
reveals.
It calculates the
planet is headed towards 2.4C of warming by the end of the century - far past the 1.5C limit leaders
committed
to.
These temperature changes might sound small, but we're talking about average global temperatures, where even seemingly tiny
rises can have a massive impact.
Scientists say limiting warming to 1.5C will prevent the most dangerous impacts of climate change.
Climate Action Tracker - which has been analysing promises made by governments before and during COP26 - says the summit
"has a
massive credibility, action and commitment gap".
Its prediction
contrasts with optimism last week following a series of big
announcements, including a vow to stop deforestation.
Read more here.
BBC
21:46
The climate violence problem
Megha Mohan
BBC Gender & Identity Correspondent
Getty Images
Women have told the BBC that gender-based violence crisis centres annually report an increase in cases because of climate change-
induced disasters – particularly tropical cyclones in the Pacific.
“In 2019 some countries faced the dual impact of both Covid-19 and a tropical cyclone," says UN Women Fiji Representative, Sandra
Bernklau.
"In Fiji, for example, the national domestic violence helpline recorded a significant increase in calls in the month of April 2019 (around
527), compared to 87 in February and 187 in March of the same year.”
In the Pacific Island country of Samoa, the term "Notofane women" refers to women who marry outside their home village and live
with the husband’s family. They are at the bottom of the village hierarchy, with little to no access to support from village elders.
According to the Samoan Victim Support Group (SVSG), Notofane women are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence.
In June of this year, SVSG opened Samoa’s first and only women’s refuge in the country, which houses Notofane women among
others. Many say they have experienced violence at home as a direct result of frustrations felt when family income is reduced
because of the effects of climate change, SVSG president Lina Chang tells the BBC.
Farming families especially lose fertile soil due to rising sea levels.
"In crisis situations, a woman’s carer role is relied upon to hold the family together and safe, not to be the subject of anger and
distress,” says Chang.
21:36
'Climate change is a feminist issue,' says Sturgeon
PA Media
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, introduced Nicola Sturgeon
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been promoting gender equality in climate action in her first major speech at COP26.
After being introduced by Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker in the US Congress, Sturgeon called on delegates to "ensure that climate
change is a feminist issue".
"We must make sure that the experiences of women and girls across the world, so often disproportionately impacted by climate
change, are understood as we devise the solutions," she says.
"And we must make sure that the voices of women are at the centre of creating and implementing the solutions to climate change."
Women and girls make up the majority of the world's poor , who are most affected by climate change.
21:25
What has happened so far today?
Reuters
A large puppet of a Syrian refugee arrived at the conference earlier
Events at the climate conference today have a special focus on gender, science and innovation.
So far:
The UN's climate chief, Patricia Espinosa, has told the BBC that there are still gaps between what the world needs and
what has been agreed so far in Glasgow. “Of course, this week we will not be able to solve it,” she said
About one billion people face life-threatening heat and humidity from a 2C rise in global temperatures, the UK's Met Office
has predicted. The number of people affected by a potentially fatal combination of heat and humidity could increase nearly 15-fold
The UK government has announced it will invest £165m to progress gender equality while fighting climate change
A delegation of Democratic US lawmakers has arrived at the conference, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Pelosi told an event on gender equality and climate action that "America is back - together for the planet, for the women, for
our children"
Next up the independent group Climate Action Tracker will release its updated predictions on global temperature rises.
That's expected at about 14:00 GMT.
You can stick with our live page to get that and other updates from the conference.
21:09
A revealing comment from the UK's climate envoy
Matt McGrath
How times change!
Speaking this morning at a presidency event, Nick Bridge,

the UK Foreign Office climate envoy repeated an analogy he first used
several
years ago.
“If your car had a one or 2% chance of brake failure, would

you get in the car? Well, nobody would get in that car.
“One or 2% chance of brake failure. No one would get in the

car. And yet we're here talking about a 50% chance or a 66% chance of
retaining
temperatures below a level that is catastrophic. For humans, for coral, for
life on earth.”
Mr Bridge said that when he first used the line he was
criticised for it – not too many criticising him now.
21:02
Why are women and girls disproportionately affected by climate change?
Georgina Rannard
BBC News
Getty Images
This boils down to the fact that

climate change is making existing problems worse.
Women and girls do not have the same

power, wealth or opportunity as men globally. So as climate change makes our
lives more
challenging, the burden falls even harder on women and girls. They
make up the majority of the world's poor , who are most
affected by climate change.
Think about a rural community in

a developing country. It's usually women and girls who walk the miles to a
water source or a market
to buy food or collect fuel. As drought dries up water
or reduces harvests, they must walk further through more
extreme conditions.
That takes time away from education or work, and
negatively affects their health and wellbeing.
There are reports too that violence against women is increasing as

they are forced to make more dangerous journeys to find
resources, or must
barter with men when food or fuel becomes more expensive due to climate change.
But there is also a huge

opportunity in how we change our societies to adapt to a warming world.
New forms of clean energy, less
pollution, more sustainable food, and a
protected natural world all have huge potential to transform women and
girls' lives globally.
20:48
Pelosi says 'America is back' in climate fight
Reuters
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi just appeared at an event on improving gender equality in climate action.
The Democrat described the climate crisis as an "existential threat of our time" and discussed how women and indigenous
communities faced particular hardship on climate front lines.
She said the US delegation she was leading had come to the conference to listen and learn from others.
But she also used the opportunity to champion legislation being passed under the current administration.
Pelosi said advancing President Biden's infrastructure bill would help the US economy become "cleaner and greener".
At the close of her speech, Pelosi also thanked young climate activists for protesting alongside the conference, pointing to the
mantra: "We don't agonise - we organise"
"America is back - together for the planet, for the women, for our children," she said.
20:33
‘Water girl of India’ helps save 10 million litres of water
Geeta Pandey
Editor, women and social affairs India
BBC
For Garvita Gulhati, the glass should only ever be half full.
The 22-year-old youth climate leader from the southern Indian city of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) is part of the United Nation’s We
The Change campaign and is better known as the “water girl of India” for her efforts in minimising water waste.
In 2015, Garvita was on holiday with her parents when she was accosted by a child beggar who wanted her water bottle.
“Her eyes lit up when I gave it to her. That made me realise that there are people who do not have easy access to drinking water so I
started thinking about ways in which I can help,” she tells us.
“When I learnt that globally every year 14 million litres of water is left in glasses in restaurants, that gave me a tangible place to start
this campaign.”
Her idea was simple – ask customers if they want water, pour only half a glass if they say yes, and refill only if they ask for more. And
if there’s still leftover water, use it for watering plants and cleaning the floor.
Initially, restaurants “weren’t keen to take advice from a teenager” but she persisted and in early 2016, some restaurants adopted the
campaign.
Her big breakthrough came in March 2019 when the National Restaurant Association of India – which represents over half a million
restaurants – came on board for the “glass half full” campaign. Since then, state governments, schools and charities have signed up.
Her efforts have helped save 10 million litres of water – enough to fill up four Olympic-size swimming pools or meet the daily drinking
water needs of 250,000 people.
20:21
'Not one country is saying nothing should be done'
BBC
As we have been reporting, science and innovation are two of the themes of the day at COP26.
There have already been major announcements on moves to tackle methane emissions and deforestation.
Ani Dasgupta, CEO of the World Resources Institute, has told the BBC negotiators are "grinding their way" towards more significant
Ani Dasgupta, CEO of the World Resources Institute, has told the BBC negotiators are grinding their way towards more significant
deals before the end of the summit.
"The main agreement on how we collectively as countries decarbonise our world is still be agreed.
"But I am cautiously optimistic that something good will come out."
He says that sense of positivity comes from COP26 being like no other before it, in that not one country represented in Glasgow is
debating whether they need to do something about climate change or not.
The question is not what to do, but how to get it done. There is enough scientific evidence of what the main problems are and
the ways to get started."
Ani Dasgupta
CEO of the World Resources Institute
20:05
We have gaps and won’t solve them this week: UN climate chief
Navin Singh Khadka
Environment correspondent, BBC World Service
There are still gaps between what the world needs and what
has been so far secured on carbon emission reduction and climate
finance at the
COP26 global climate summit - and they will not be solved during these talks,
the head of the UN climate change has
told the BBC.
“Of course, this week we will not be able to solve it, ”

says Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary with the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
“For some countries, the goal of 1.5 degrees seems to be

very difficult to achieve but for others it is the only way for
survival.
“So, we need to work on a good path on how are we going to

overcome those gaps.”
COP26: 1.5C climate goal 'difficult' but 'only chance of survival' for some, says UN
Espinosa said last week’s big announcements such as finance and ending deforestation were good but how they figure during
negotiations and whether they are aligned to the Paris goal of 1.5C were key questions.
These are indications that climate negotiations may still have a long way to go.
19:52
'Little Amal' arrives in Glasgow
The puppet of a Syrian girl that has made an 8,000km trip through Europe as part of a campaign highlighting the plight of refugees
has arrived at the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
"Little Amal", which is 3.5m tall, opened a session on advancing gender equality in climate action.
The figure's journey has been described as an "international arts festival meets endurance event" by organisers, who want more
support from European countries for young refugees.
Reuters
The 3.5m tall puppet was displayed in the main conference hall
Reuters
The figure was embraced by activist Brianna Fruean
Reuters
Little Amal towered over attendees at the conference this morning
19:40
'As women - we have really suffered'
BBC Media Action
All around the world, women are among those bearing the brunt of climate change. Nasieku Lesiamito is a 25-year-old
pastoralist from Louwabene in Kenya who is part of a community that has had their lives upended due to drought
conditions. She told her story to the BBC's international charity.
I have been affected by climate change because I had to move here since where I live was affected. I come from a place called
Louwabene and I have come here, Maralal Kuroto, in search of grass and water for my goats and cows.
As women, we have really suffered because of the lack of water. We wake up in the morning at 07:00 to look for water and we come
back in the evening. At times when you get back, you find that the goats and calves have strayed.
BBC
As the Lowabene community, we came together and the elders encouraged us to contribute some money towards drilling a borehole.
But in the midst of raising the money for the borehole, the drought became worse and everyone left to different places to look for
water.
There are some children who dropped out of school since the drought struck. The parents had left so the children could not be left
behind alone.
If we were to get water and pasture, we would be settled and our children would go back to school. As women we will start doing
business, we have a small centre called Lekuru where we can go and start doing trading.
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11/9/21, 11:26 PM COP26 accused of 'massive credibility, action and commitment gap' in new report - BBC News

Home News Sport Reel Worklife Travel Future Culture M

-55% -50% -74% -75%

Shop Princess Polly™

LIVE COP26 accused of 'massive credibility and commitment gap'

0:17 1:17 1:42 2:28 2:42

BBC BBC BBC BBC BBC

Live Reporting Related Stories

Edited by James Clarke

The Little Amal puppet is 3.5m tall

“She can stand for

He's appeared today at a panel event organised by Bloomberg.

Chinese state media have ramped up their efforts to

We’ve noticed two main narratives emerging: that

Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Chinese state

Earlier this month, CGTN – China’s international

But more than half of the

Otherwise Glasgow will be judged a failure.

With one sharp jab, this

The study shows that even

For days now, a number of

That seemed like huge

Read more here.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, introduced Nicola Sturgeon

A large puppet of a Syrian refugee arrived at the conference earlier

That's expected at about 14:00 GMT.

How times change!

Speaking this morning at a presidency event, Nick Bridge,

“If your car had a one or 2% chance of brake failure, would

“One or 2% chance of brake failure. No one would get in the

This boils down to the fact that

Women and girls do not have the same

Think about a rural community in

There are reports too that violence against women is increasing as

But there is also a huge

"But I am cautiously optimistic that something good will come out."

“Of course, this week we will not be able to solve it, ”

“For some countries, the goal of 1.5 degrees seems to be

“So, we need to work on a good path on how are we going to

The figure was embraced by activist Brianna Fruean

Little Amal towered over attendees at the conference this morning

BBC News Services

Get news alerts Contact BBC News

Explore the BBC

Terms of Use About the BBC

Privacy Policy Cookies

Accessibility Help Parental Guidance

Contact the BBC Get Personalised Newsletters

Advertise with us AdChoices / Do Not Sell My Info

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