“The whole of humanity is in the ring,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, as leaders and activists from across the world arrive in Glasgow for COP26.
Billed by some as the planet’s ‘last best chance’, the summit will see 200 nations gather to discuss how to radically slash emissions and avert climate catastrophe.
“The foes of humanity are apathy and political indifference and a lack of will and people’s excessive caution about what they can achieve,” Mr Johnson said.
“Actually, I think we can still do it.”
"Staying below 1.5 degrees is the only chance we have of avoiding these tipping points and stabilising our world again"
Hear from #COP26 People’s Advocate, Sir David Attenborough, on why every fraction of a degree matters 👇#TogetherForOurPlanet | #ClimateAction— COP26 (@COP26) October 29, 2021
COP26 President Alok Sharma said that he thought agreement would be harder to reach than it had been in Paris in 2015, when almost all leaders pledged to “pursue efforts” to limit global warming to 1.5C.
"This is on leaders," Mr Sharma said. "They need to come forward and we need to collectively agree how we are going to meet this goal."
He added that “we expected more" from countries with large carbon footprints - such as China.
Ireland
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will join world leaders for the opening ceremony on Monday. He said that he hoped COP26 would be a “real coming together for global action".
“Climate change is already a reality in all parts of the world. If we are to leave a habitable planet to future generations we must act now," Mr Martin said.
“The challenge is big, but I have faith in the capacity of humans to work together to overcome it.
“Science is leading the way. Leaders must put the right policies in place, as we are doing in Ireland.”
Meanwhile, Ciarán Cuffe, Green Party MEP for Dublin, told Newstalk that climate change was the most important issue on the political agenda:
“I think it’s the most important challenge that humanity has at the moment - and I don’t say that lightly.
“I think we are already seeing the impact of extreme weather events, we’re already seeing climate refugees drown while crossing the Mediterranean.
“So we need to take action and I’m just hoping that that sense of urgency will come through when the detailed negotiations start next week.”
The first day of the conference is scheduled to include a presentation by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Its provisional report concluded that the past decade was the hottest on record and that extreme weather events are intensifying.
Main image: Protestors arrive at Glasgow Green to raise awareness of the climate crisis ahead of COP26 for the Global South, as Glasgow prepares for the Cop26 summit. Picture by: PA.
