COP26: Accelerating momentum for climate action

Climate Change is a common concern of humankind. This is what has been declared in 1988 unanimously at the United Nations General Assembly. And this is what is being re-affirmed by the Heads of States at COP26 in Glasgow as I write this.

A re-affirmation is however not enough. This needs to be backed by ambition and action. COP26 has set to achieve this under the presidency of the United Kingdom.  The main goals and the respective expected outcomes have been grouped under three headings. First is securing ambition through commitments for global net-zero by mid-century and keeping the 1.5degree target within reach. Second on the list is the protection of communities and habitats from climate impacts by improving the adaptive capacities of peoples and systems. And lastly is the mobilisation of finance to deliver on mitigation and adaptation.

Many are calling this COP timely. The IPCC 6th assessment report published in August 2021 declared that only immediate and sustained global action will allow us to achieve our 1.5 degree target, which we are so close to failing. This is the reality check to be confronted with. The responsibility is believed to rest in the hands of global leaders and delegations as pledges are announced and technical negotiations are underway. In his opening speech, incoming COP President Alok Sharma said: “What Paris promised, Glasgow will deliver”. This has set the stage for an intensive two weeks of work here in Glasgow.

The political willingness for a successful COP has been confirmed by most. Now more than ever, parties are heeding the call of the youth and that of the latest science. Many parties have come forward pledgind net zero by different timeframes. The European Union is the global leader in ambition. It has increased its targets by 2030 and enshrined in its legislation climate neutrality by 2050.

The technical negotiations on what is called the Paris Rulebook have commenced too, progressing on previous work done in previous COPs. Delegations are discussing the pending issues to enable the operationalisation of the Paris Rulebook with a view to provide Ministers a way forward for political endorsement by the end of the COP. The aim is to have a transparent and just mechanism to globally implement the Paris Agreement such as on reporting methodologies (common tabular formats), future ambition cycles (common timeframes) and cooperative approaches (commonly referred to as article 6).

Achieving compromises and consensus amongst all the 197 parties to the Paris Agreement on the remaining outstanding issues is the ultimate objective. Coupling this with the political impetus on ambition and action relevant not only to reducing emissions, but to also scale up finance to assist the most vulnerable would seal this COP as a successful one.

Malta believes that COP 26 is shaping into a success story. Through the collective contribution of all parties as outlined in their respective enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution and Long-Term Strategies, we will secure the achievement of our climate goals. Malta in its Low Carbon Development Strategy, which was recently published, has identified how we shall prompt this transition. The policy measures in our strategy were identified based on marginal abatement cost, to ensure maximum reductions and cost-effectiveness, whilst not neglecting the socio-economic considerations. Like other parties, we are prepared to embark on this journey, in full recognition that action is indispensable in enabling our transitions to low carbon futures. We are all well aware that action does not come cheap, but inaction is more expensive.