COP26 Round up from Week 2

Negotiations continued into Week 2 of COP26, with each day focusing on a theme, variously gender, science and innovation, transport, and cities. Several major commitments were made also, as well work ongoing on the overall final agreement that needs to be signed of by nearly 200 countries aimed at driving action on climate change and delivering on the world's comprehensive climate treaty, the Paris Agreemen

• The US and China announced that they would work together to try and keep warming limited to 1.5C.

• An alliance of countries was established committed to phasing out production of oil and gas and pushing for an international agreement on setting an end date for the exploration and extraction of the fossil fuels. Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA), which launched at COP on Thursday, November 11, is a landmark international agreement led by Denmark and Costa Rica, and also includes France and Wales but not the UK.

• Cities, Regions and Built Environment
  
  • The UK pledged £27.5 million of funding for a new Urban Climate Action Programme to support cities across Africa, Asia and Latin America implement innovative climate action plans to become carbon neutral by 2050.
• Transport
  • 32 countries, including Ireland and the UK, and many manufacturers, agreed to prohibit the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040 at the latest. The declaration commits those signing to work toward all new cars and van sales "being zero emission by 2040 or earlier, or by no later than 2035 in leading markets."
• Gender-related
  • The UK is setting out how £165 million in funding will address the dual challenges of gender inequality and climate change.
  • The USA is committing new funding for gender-responsive climate programming.
  • The launch of Gender Equity Diversity Investments, a $100-150 million venture capital firm.
• Health
  • 47 countries have committed to building health systems which are able to withstand the impacts of climate change and which are low carbon and sustainable.
• Adaptation
  • New climate providers have committed to balance through the Champions Group on Adaptation finance.
  • The UK announced £290 million in new funding for adaptation.
  • 88 countries are now covered by Adaptation Communications or National Adaptation Plans to increase preparedness to climate risks, with 38 published in the last year.
• Education
  • The UK announced its draft Sustainability and Climate Change strategy to equip and empower young people with the skills they need to drive the future of climate action.
  • Education Ministers from around the world also pledged to do the same and many also put forward national climate education pledges, ranging from decarbonising the school sector to developing school resources.
• Land use
  • 26 nations set out new commitments to change their agricultural policies to become more sustainable and less polluting, the World Bank committed to spending $25 billion in climate finance annually to 2025 through its Climate Action Plan, and almost 100 high-profile companies from a range of sectors committed to becoming ‘Nature Positive’.