COP26: Cross the bridges, mind the “emission-gap”

by Domenico Vito

It has been a quite tough COP.

Who was there surely can even a bit resonate with this impression.

Wasn’t easy, wasn’t straightforward

The 26th meeting of parties namely COP26, was born in complexity.

COVID-19, high expectations after COP25 doubt , critics, last moment changes last moment gets.

Since the firsts days was build on rush organization, a build on rush getting a build on rush everything.

This COP made in the highlands of an island, was like quite hard trekking path: walk step by step harder to reach the top with the bottom on your back.

It’s not a case this wording that recalls the song Forgotten from Linkin’park

From the top to the bottom
Bottom to top I stop
At the core I’ve forgotten

In our crazy trekking route upside down we were going indeed to forgot the core : the people and the planet.

The people: it has been an exclusive COP – like isolate – .This point has been clearly addressed at the closing plenary to the presidency by several, this COP26 has been one of the most exclusive in terms of the participation. Several parties has faced great difficulties in participate as well civil society, observer and indigenous people has been segregated by the negotiations. Just at the end of the two weeks when negotiations were stucking, we just realized – by the shouts of “People plenary” and the grassroot pressure the observer get on the negotiators to raise the ambition – how important their participation is for the outcomes of the whole conference.

The planet: ehi people want the moon, do you mind to save the earth? 

How difficult, how struggling, how reiterate has been the recall to finally reach some points from the parties in this negotiations.

Thinking that the COP26 first week was full of intent, commitments, declarations and quite interesting initiatives (like the Forest and Land Use Declaration, the World Summit and even the Joint Declaration of USA and China) the second week should look like a sunny walk on a green valley. 

It was indeed a sort of roped edged pro – route, with the runned risk to fall down, last minute pickets and tibetan bridges.

Likewise where the outcomes 

A sort of hybrid theory(ndr.) between hope and despair.

First observation: in the punk wonderland even coal has been hard to dead.

Matter of wordings, matter of implications of this wordings. China and India do not want to phase out from coal and indeed phase down. Like you want to start the diet the day you have control your weight. Maybe you and your fellows can be late at your appointment at 1.5 pm (°C). 

In the final text of the Glasgow Climate Package (GCP) they asked to change these point: basically is a matter of confidence on making the transition at the same pace of the so called “industrialized countries”, and so better do not state what your are not sure to do…

Surely it’s needed a unplugged of solar and wind AC/DC over there to do not go back in black. You know…. do not reach 1.5°C can be an highway to hell, scientists said.

And on that,  the numerous bilateral agreements born in Glasgow even outside the convention can support as parachute on the missing notes of the GCP.

Second observation: “Money …get away” a famous british rock band used to gig. 

It seems we have reached the consensus on the british journey of the UN delegates.

Finance is not yet defined…we don’t know where the money is coming and where it need to go. The Standing Committee on Finance, seems needs to stand still…at least to the next COP27.

And unfortunately loss and damage still not have a financial background.

But not all bad vibes and pipes the ones coming from Glasgow.

We recognized after 3 years that 1.5°C at 2100  is definitiverly the threshold we have to pursue in our climate crisis struggles.

It is officially part of the Glasgow Climate Pact: and no misinterpretations are allowed on that.

And finally Art.6 seems to get real at least, not just a beasty number on the list 

We have a draft for the regulation of the cooperative approaches and carbon credits  and non-markets approaches to mitigation.

And the text of the Art.6 contains clear references to the rights of vulnerable communities, indigenous people, youths and women. So greenwashing should be harder even in mitigation efforts.

Good news also on adaptation, even just from the diplomacy side: the Glasgow Sharm’el Sheik Workplan on Global Goals of Adaptation and Santiago Network on L&D can be really resilient efforts if seriously conducted. And the Maldives and the next COP host Egypt sprinted to take it is with seriousness, with the will to organize  the kick-off workshops.

So, even on the Rush, COP26 ended with little Ones Little Victories.

As Obama foresighted, but victory by victory, step by step you can get one step closer to the top.

It’s a long way indeed if we wanna climb the rock.

Paraphrasing Patricia Espinosa, this COP has been a Bridge Over Troubled Water, a small tiny tibetan bridge…in the middle of nowhere. From just intent to measurable actions

But it’s the only way and we need to cross it. There is still a great emission GAP to fill, from 2,7°C to 1,5°C

The only way to cross it is with determination, commitment the right amount of anxiety and 

Active hope.

That one that let continue to do more, to do not lose the focus.

The ones of bravehearts

From the Highlands that’s all

See you in the deserts 

Walk like..(no that one is bad!)

See ya!

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