Energy Growing Behind Ambitious Glasgow Package at COP26
November 8, 2021, Glasgow: Today, 13 additional countries signed onto the High Ambition Coalitions’ COP26 statement, issued on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. The statement outlines the key elements of a successful outcome at COP26.
The statement now has 41 supporters, including the chairs of three major groups of developing countries - AOSIS, LDCs and African Group. This signals growing momentum behind a COP26 outcome that promotes emissions reductions in line with limiting temperature rise to 1.5C. It elevates the importance of climate adaptation as a critical element of global climate action, and addresses the resources needed for the world to adapt, keep 1.5C alive, and for averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage.
In a private gathering of High Ambition Coalition ministers, Barack Obama, former President of the United States, said: “What you are doing – what the High Ambition Coalition is attempting to accomplish – is vital.” Noting the Coalition’s role to push for a 1.5C temperature limit in 2015, he added: “The science has made clear – the brutal tempests of the warming climate are making even clearer – that we cross that line at our peril…Once again…it falls on the High Ambition Coalition to make that case…You’ve come together once again to speak to not only the need to get to 1.5, but also to provide the adaptation funding that’s necessary for those who may end up paying the steepest price for actions that they themselves did not take.”
Key elements of the HAC statement include:
Calling on all Parties that have yet to do so to deliver more ambitious NDCs in line with a 1.5°C trajectory as soon as possible, and well ahead of COP27.
Welcoming the efforts of those countries that have stepped up their adaptation finance to a balance with mitigation financing, and calling on those that have not yet done so to address the adaptation finance gap by scaling up adaptation finance to at least double current levels.
Reducing emissions through action on coal, fossil fuel subsidies, methane, and ambitious policies in transport, including shipping.
The delivery of the $100 billion mobilisation goal annually to 2025, and starting deliberations for a post-2025 climate finance goal based on science, an assessment of needs and priorities of developing countries, and lessons from the $100 billion goal.
Finalisation of negotiations on outstanding elements of the Paris Agreement rulebook, in full accordance with environmental integrity, transparency and accountability.
Minister Andrea Meza of Costa Rica, who also spoke at today’s event, said: “Today is Adaptation Day at COP 26 and we need to acknowledge that we cannot solve the climate crisis without addressing inequality, and that is what adaptation is about. For this reason, when we talk about ambition, we are talking about the need for an urgent and significant scale-up of adaptation financing; up to at least double the current levels.”
And Minister Bruce Bilimon, Minister of Health and Human Services, said: “this Statement is a promise to fight for 1.5. It is a recognition that we must drastically scale up adaptation finance. And it is a commitment to ensuring that vulnerable countries like mine have the resources to respond to the impacts of climate change.”
Consistent with the HAC’s history of bringing together both developed and developing countries, additional signatories are Samoa, Ethiopia, Iceland, Niue, Austria, Canada, Colombia, Italy, Ireland, Uruguay, the Seychelles, Angola and Rwanda.
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Contact: hac@highambitioncoalition.org
Photo: UNFCCC Flickr