Glasgow, 1 November 2021 (TDI): The United Nations Climate Change Conference, opened with a press conference, on 31 October. The Conference has key aims of raising ambition on all fronts.
ESPINOSA’S STATEMENT
The Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa, was present at the Press Conference. Espinosa expressed gratitude towards the British Government for hosting the COP; and for their efforts to keep assistants healthy.
She then added that the loss of lives this year due to extreme weather events clarifies how important it is to convene COP26. Espinosa mentioned that currently, the world is on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7 degrees.
Espinosa urged the assistants to address it, and support the most vulnerable to adapt. She stated that in order to do it successfully, it is necessary to have greater ambition. This is required to achieve progress on the elements of the climate change agenda.
The agenda includes the reduction of emissions and adaptation as its centre. It also wants to address loss, and damage from extreme climatic events, and increase the support to developing countries.
Espinosa mentions that the provision of support is a central issue. The financial support is related to the goal of mobilizing 100 billion annually by 2020. It is crucial for all the elements climate change, this includes mitigation, adaptation, capacity-building, and technology transfer.
Espinosa remarks that many parties, feel that to implement the Paris Agreement, previous commitments should first be honoured. She also stated that the only option is to make COP26 a success. According to Espinosa, to do this unity of purpose is necessary.
In order for COP26 to be a success, Glasgow needs to end with decisions that reflect the positions of all countries then. The countries also need to compromise the perspectives to develop ambitious goals.
MINISTERIAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Espinosa stated that they are ready to work with all parties, to keep the 1.5 degrees within reach. The Conference also has to discuss items from COP25. 100 Heads of State, and Royalty will attend the World Leaders Summit, today and tomorrow also.
The COP26 will have four key Ministerial, and also other events. The first one is the fourth biennial high-level Ministerial Dialogue, on climate finance. The second one is the first Ministerial Dialogue on climate finance under the Paris Agreement.
Then the annual meeting with the participation of indigenous people. COP26 will also have several workshops and events to then advance gender-related issues.
RACE TO ZERO CAMPAIGN
Gonzalo Muñoz, and Nigel Topping will guide the presentation of progress, plans, and targets for initiatives will be presented. 100 events will present those initiatives. Participants will learn about the commitments of the stakeholders by 2050, through the Race to zero campaign.
The mitigation efforts by climate actors are under the Race to resilience. This is then reaching over a billion people, through activities like disaster risk reduction, agricultural resilience, and finance and also insurance.
