| Just as COP26 was about to wrap up its work for Wednesday, the United States and China helped end the day on a positive note with the joint announcement that the two nations have agreed to work together on more ambitious climate action in this decade, doing more to cut emissions, including from methane.
The UN Secretary-General, who returned to Glasgow today, welcomed their agreement in a tweet:
“Tackling the climate crisis requires international collaboration and solidarity, and this is an important step in the right direction,” António Guterres wrote.
In a joint statement presented by the climate envoys from both nations, the US and China drew a roadmap for ongoing cooperation to tackle climate change.
Meanwhile, with 48 hours left for countries to close out their negotiations, COP26 has officially entered the final stretch.
To that end, the UK Presidency on Wednesday published a draft of the final outcome document of the conference, calling on countries to step up ambition and define their ‘Net-Zero’ strategies as early as 2022.
It is also the first time that ‘loss and damage’ and a call to end fossil fuel subsidies have been included in such a document – a step which drew mixed reactions from some civil society organizations, as well as a broader call for a much more ambitious text.
Alok Sharma, COP26 President, said that finalizing the text, including the recent decisions, will be challenging.
“But we know what is at risk if we do not reach an ambitious outcome: climate-vulnerable countries at the frontline of the climate crisis will continue to bear the brunt before it engulfs us all,” he said, adding that he expects an agreement by Friday evening.
You can read more about this in our featured story, which also covers today’s main theme at COP26: transport. You will learn that different areas of the transport sector such as shipping, aviation and road vehicles, have taken steps forward to make their industries greener.
In this edition, we also feature the latest warning from the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO): sea surface temperatures and ocean heat in parts of the South-West Pacific are increasing at more than three times the global average rate, with marine heatwaves bleaching once vibrant coral reefs and threatening vital ecosystems upon which the region depends.
And don’t miss our daily podcast! Along with much more information on transport and today’s other events, you will listen to the UN’s High-Level Meeting of Caring for Climate, which heard solutions from CEOs of companies and organizations that actively engaged in climate action. |
