Glasgow COP26 summit reveals last-minute backdown on coal tougher targets

By Bevan ShieldsUpdated November 12, 2021 â€" 7.12pmfirst published at 5.23am

Glasgow: Ambitions to kill coal and toughen 2030 emissions targets have been deleted from the latest draft of the COP26 decisions paper, which provides the blueprint for international action to tackle climate change.

The draft released on Friday night AEDT sets the scene for explosive clashes between different negotiators, after the draft declaration was considerably weakened just as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pleaded with nations to strengthen their targets.

A push to make countries such as Australia that have not yet submitted new 2030 targets formally update their emissions reduction plans every one or two years instead of the existing five-year cycle has also failed.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s cornerstone pledge to kill coal has been watered down.

The previous draft had called on nations to accelerate the phasing out of “all coal and fossil fuel subsidies”, but the latest version only calls for the elimination of “unabated coal power and of inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels”, providing a lifeline for coal-fuelled power and petrol sales.

The new draft also gives world leaders an extra five years to meet the Paris-era pledge of $100b in support for developing countries to adapt to climate change.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had earlier declared the core goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees was “on life support” due to the rising tensions, while Pope Francis warned world leaders would face “God’s judgement” if they fail before the Glasgow talks are scheduled to conclude over the weekend.

Environmental activists demanded more ambition from countries as the Glasgow climate summit draws to a close.Credit:Getty

A group of nearly two dozen developing countries - thought to include major emitters such as China and India - had proved successful in lobbying to water down the references to coal and fossil fuels but had not been able to remove references to the importance of keeping temperature rises to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century.

Emmanuel Tachie-Obeng from Ghana speaks to reporters ahead of the Glasgow climate summit’s final day.Credit:AP

Concerns about countries, including China, watering down the final language come only a day after the industrial giant surprised the summit by agreeing to a set of actions with rival US to counter climate change.

The nations that pushing for the deletion, known as the Like-Minded Developing Countries, argue the chapter is unfair to poor countries. Bolivia’s chief negotiator and the LMDC’s spokesperson, Diego Pacheco, accused rich nations of trying to “transfer” responsibility for historic pollution to those with less responsibility.

“History matters and history is very important to understand and to put in the context of the discussion on ambition,” Pacheco said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres locked in discussions with COP26 President Alok Sharma.Credit:Getty

COP26 President Alok Sharma had earlier warned the summit was entering its final day with a huge gulf between countries on key issues such as how much financial support the developed world should offer developing nations to deal with climate change.

“While we have made progress ... we are not there yet on the most critical issues,” he said.

“There is still a lot more work to be done and COP26 is scheduled to close at the end of tomorrow. So time is running out.”

So far, the talks have not come close to achieving any of the United Nations’ key priorities of cutting carbon emissions by about half by 2030 to limit temperature rises to 1.5 degrees. Nor have they come close to getting rich countries to fulfil a 12-year-old pledge of providing $100 billion a year in financial climate aid to poor nations.

Guterres said the Glasgow talks “are in a crucial moment” and need to accomplish more than securing a weak deal that participating nations agree to support.

“The worst thing would be to reach an agreement at all costs by a minimum common denominator that would not respond to the huge challenges we face,” he told AP in an interview.

The overarching goal of limiting warming since pre-industrial times to 1.5 degrees “is still in reach but on life support,” Guterres added.

UN climate summits are notorious for running over time and there is a growing expectation the Glasgow summit may be extended into Saturday and even Sunday local time.

Tina Stege, a climate envoy from the Marshall Islands midway between Australia and Hawaii, said low-lying nations were desperate for a positive outcome at COP26.

“We are far away from an ambitious Glasgow package,” she said. “This decade may be the most decisive in human history.”

Department and position name plates laid out before negotiations begin on Thursday.Credit:Getty

Stege said she “can’t underestimate” the importance of the Glasgow summit resolving to phase out fossil fuel subsidies and coal, or “how hard we will need to fight” to keep those references in the final document.

With AP

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