COP26: will there be a Glasgow Agreement? This is what we know so far

For ten days now delegates from across the world have gathered in Glasgow to discuss climate change action.

World leaders such as Joe Biden and Nicola Sturgeon to high profile activists including Greta Thunberg and Leonardo DiCaprio have all taken part, both from centre stage and the sidelines.

Discussion is all well and good but it is hoped that by the conclusion of the summit an agreement to “accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement” will be agreed.

Here’s what we know about a potential Glasgow agreement.

What does the draft agreement say?

A first draft of a potential pact was unveiled on Wednesday (November 10).

The draft urges world leaders to set out long-term strategies by the end of next year to reach net-zero emissions by around mid-century, to curb warming to 1.5C

The potential agreement also demands that countries deliver emissions-cutting plans for the 2020s in the next year.

The draft, which defines the 2020s as a “critical decade” called for countries to take more meaningful and effective action to meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C

The document also demands countries to accelerate the phasing-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels, and for developed countries to at least double their collective provision of climate finance to help developing countries adapt to climate change, as part of scaling money for poorer nations to tackle the crisis.

It is worth noting that this is a draft and contentious issues will be negotiated over by delegates in the coming days.

Will it be signed by all leaders?

UK prime minister Boris Johnson urged countries to “pull out all the stops” to agree climate action as the Glasgow summit enters its final days.

But unanimous agreement isn’t certain.

In the coming days delegates from over 200 countries will discuss with leaders what their country’s position will be on the potential agreement.

Opposition in some form from countries which didn’t attend the conference, most notably Russia and China, is expected.

Sticking points will likely include the reference to phasing out fossil fuels altogether, and funding for countries most exposed the destructive forces of climate change.

What have critics said?

Campaigners have criticised the draft agreement for not being strong enough.

Greenpeace International executive director Jennifer Morgan said the draft deal was “not a plan to solve the climate crisis”.

“It’s a polite request that countries maybe, possibly, do more next year,” she said.

Ms Morgan said: “The job of this conference was always to get that number down to 1.5C, but with this text world leaders are punting it to next year.

“If this is the best they can come up with then it’s no wonder kids today are furious at them,” she said, adding it needed to be much stronger on finance and adaptation for developing countries.