Over the past two weeks we closely followed the climate talks at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) hosted by the UK in Glasgow. In a final push to secure the unanimous consent of all 197 countries that signed the Paris climate accord, the conference went into overtime on Saturday.

It was expected before the event that new pledges for COP26 would fall short of the target of halving global emissions this decade on a path to limiting global warming to well below 2°C by 2050. However, the conference was critical for the parties to finalise the rules for implementing the 2015 Paris climate accord.

The final agreement that was reached by diplomats on Saturday aimed at intensifying global efforts to fight climate change by calling on governments to return next year with stronger emissions-reduction targets and promises to double the money available to help developing countries cope with the effects of global warming. Moreover, the topic of coal and fossil fuels consumption reduction has for the first time ever been included in a final COP decision. The agreement asks countries to phase down coal consumption and set an end to fossil fuel subsidies.

Read about the Glasgow Climate Pact and what to expect next in our latest blog article.