COP26: Where science meets law, where 1.5 meets justice.

This photo was taken by Andrew Cawley in Southside Glasgow, while shooting for his portrait project called “26”. This is an ongoing series of portraits capturing young environmental and climate change activists in Scotland, in the run up to COP26. Waiting for the cloud cover or the beacon of light?

The 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to about to start in Glasgow, Scotland. I hope all the attendants feel the same welcoming atmosphere I felt just over 6 years ago, when I moved into this city to pursue my passion in renewable energy. Glasgow is a city that is constantly embracing change in effort to overcome its imperial past, a city that keeps reinventing itself through the kindness of its people, a city that is struggling for social justice.

It’s 5 COPs after the Paris agreement and this COP has been declared as our “last best chance” to reflect on the actions done so far to protect our planet, set more ambitious targets and make sure we stay below 1.5 °C. The most recent IPCC report published in 2021 emphasizes however, that we are on track to exceed 1.5 °C of warming within the next two decades. Therefore, actions taken this decade will determine the level of climate impacts. The groundwork for this actions has to be laid during COP26 in order to prevent devastating consequences for our planet. The first step is to universally commit to not exceeding 1.5 degrees of warming rather than 2 as set in the Paris agreement.

Countries have to submit new Nationally Determined Contributions every 5 years. At the time of this writing (1 day before COP begins), some countries have submitted the same or even less ambitious 2030 targets than they had in 2015, while some other countries haven’t submitted their targets yet.

The biggest elephant in the room of climate talks at the moment is fossil fuels. Phasing out of fossil fuels has to be accelerated. Installation of renewable energy generation is already rapidly increasing in many parts of the world. In fact Scotland, the host of these negotiations, is a place with a strong renewable energy focus and more than 97% of the country’s demand was met by renewables during 2020. A climate emergency has been declared by the UK government and Net Zero commitments by 2050 have been set. The Sixth Carbon Budget is a legally binding commitment to reduce emissions to 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. Nevertheless, new oil field explorations and development (for example Cambo) are going ahead. Our young leaders around Scotland support a ‘gradual but prompt’ transition away from fossil fuels, with a ‘just transition’ for oil and gas workers.

A climate litigation case against oil and gas has recently been brought to light. The Paid to Pollute Case is a legal challenge over UK government’s support for the North Sea oil and gas industry. The claimants are suing the government with the aim to rule that the state-owned Oil and Gas Authority’s (OGA) strategy is unlawful. The case has been given a court date in December 2021 where the claimants will argue that the policy- under which tax breaks are available to oil companies- encourages oil and gas production that is not economic and conflicts with ambitions to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. I had the pleasure to meet two out of the three claimants of the case Kairin van Sweeden and Jeremy Cox, who spoke to us in the 2050 Climate Youth Youth Climate Summit held in September.  Even though litigation can’t change the whole system and it’s mainly a decision on a single act, this case can be a way of challenging climate policy making and advancing effective action on climate change.

As someone who works in renewable energy industry, I have a strong passion for this area, while I’m also trying to approach it with a critical viewpoint. Greenwashing can be misleading, so transparency should be ensured. Even renewable technologies have a carbon cost, so a thorough lifecycle assessment should be incorporated in the process. This assessment should always prioritise humans and the environment impacted by any technology. Our energy systems are undergoing a massive transformation in which clean, reliable and affordable energy for all should be supported. This journey to clean energy should strongly take into account fuel poverty, energy efficiency as well as impacts on jobs and economy.  IEA’s new report on People Centered Energy Transition draws from experiences around the world and provides recommendations on how clean energy transitions should aim to improve human life and ensure a healthy environment.

As much as we need to focus on mitigation and make sure we minimize our emissions, we also need to focus on adaptation and financing, emphasising on countries at highest climate risk. Our planet is changing and we need to adapt to the impacts of climate crisis as they become increasingly more apparent in many parts of the world. The most vulnerable groups are and will continue to be most affected by this climate chaos and their protection should be a global priority. A clear roadmap to deliver on the UNFCCC pathway to support nations who are contributing less to climate change but are impacted most needs to be established. Finance has to be fairly shared and funding mechanisms have to be streamlined to support climate risks. 

Unfortunately, COP26 is expected to be one of the “Most Exclusionary COP Ever” (read Kate’s amazing blog) and the pandemic is a barrier for the people of the local south, broadening the already existing inequalities. That puts an extra obligation for us who are attending COP, to amplify the voices of those who can not be heard.

In my happy place, next to a wind turbine. This photo was taken while filming the “COP26 voices” project video.

Will COP26 solve the climate crisis? Probably not. But it’s a good moment for international scrutiny and it plays a huge role in shaping climate action and policy. Furthermore, any voluntary acceptance of rules created during COP, is a powerful tool that guides government actions. It’s not only about the 1.5 degrees, but it’s mainly about demanding justice. There is so much more than the negotiations happening in the blue tables. People from all corners of this planet are coming to COP to connect with different cultures, learn, unlearn. It’s the intersectional solutions that can give us a ticket out of this crisis. Each one of us holds a piece of this puzzle and all of us collectively can work together towards a systemic change and a just, fair life on this planet for everyone.

Our 2050 Climate Group COP26 delegation aims to represent young voices across Scotland and call negotiators for action. Through the Malawi Scotland Partnership we will connect with our fellow Malawi Climate Leaders, strengthen our intercultural connections and envision a sustainable future that we can build together (we have an exciting event on the 5th of November and we have a video series of COP26 voices). In a recent talk, Nicola Sturgeon emphasised the importance of small country coalition. It is true that we often talk about US, China and Brazil in the climate negotiations because we can’t limit global warming without their contributions. However, it’s not only the size of the countries or economies that matters, but the size of their vision. Small nations and the partnerships that can be strengthened during COP, have the potential to accelerate our path to a net zero (or even net positive) society.

Either you are in Glasgow or anywhere else in the world, the next few weeks will be an opportunity for you to get involved in your local community and take action. But in this overwhelming series of events, remember to also take time to breathe, heal and check with you peers. If you are a COP attendant, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the dear Green place (Glasgow), have a spontaneous chat with the friendly locals and if you’re brave why not try a deep fried pizza?

Find out more about 2050 Climate Group’s activities at COP26 by clicking the button below & giving us a follow on social media!