Glasgow’s COP26 climate conference has been delayed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The event, originally scheduled for November, was heralded as being the ‘most important meeting of minds since the Paris Agreement was signed’ – so what does the industry think of its postponement?
Right decision
Luke Murphy, Head of the Environmental Justice Commission at IPPR, said the decision to postpone COP26 is “the right one” and stressed governments around the world need to be focused on the crisis in front of them.
He added: “But in time when the UK, like other countries, begins to plan for the economic recovery it must ensure it is a clean recovery. One that is built on low carbon infrastructure and that delivers an economy that is more resilient to future crises and fairer for all. The UK Government must also set more ambitious interim climate targets for 2030 and use its influence as COP host to encourage other nations to do the same.”
Opportunity in recovery
Lord Nicholas Stern, an adviser to the UK COP26 Presidency and Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science, stated: “This is a welcome and understandable decision by the international community that has been driven by the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is now clear that the preparatory intersessional scheduled for June will now have to be postponed until at least the autumn, which means that the main summit could not take place in November.
“There is an opportunity in the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis to create a new approach to growth that is sustainable, inclusive and resilient. It can build on the understanding of a common humanity and shared vulnerability. Now is the time to forge a new internationalism and move from this crisis to a much more sustainable and resilient economy in closer harmony with the natural world. That will be the challenge and opportunity of COP26 next year. We must use this time well.”
World must rally together
Andrew Steer, President & CEO of the World Resources Institute, suggested: “Shifting the timing of the UN climate summit was no doubt a difficult decision but it is also the right one. In the face of this unprecedented health crisis, the world needs to rally together to fight the virus and help those most vulnerable to the economic fallout.
“In the face of a health emergency and the climate crisis, we cannot afford to tackle one or the other. We must do both. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a tragic reminder that global risks require collective action. Leaders need to work together to identify and prepare early for such risks, share information, and mobilise resources to make their own citizens and others safer and healthier.”
Necessary disappointment
RenewableUK’s Head of Policy and Regulation Rebecca Williams said: “While delaying COP 26 is disappointing, it is the right decision as public health has to be the primary concern in the response to Covid-19.
“We hope that the rescheduled COP summit will be able to take place as soon as it is safe in 2021 and that governments around the world will bring forward plans to rapidly increase the low carbon investment that will be needed to meet climate targets and support the economic recovery post-Coronavirus.”
Now need to regroup and rekindle
Energy UK’s Director of External Affairs, Abbie Sampson noted: “This is a difficult but understandable decision from the government. We all want to see COP26 be the success it needs to be; so once we are able to move past the current global challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic, we will need to regroup and rekindle the wide-spread commitment to meeting the net zero target, because there is no time to delay.
“The energy sector stands ready to continue to lead progress on decarbonisation – not only our sector, but working with others such as heating and transport, to deliver benefits for the environment, customers and the wider economy.”
