An "imperfect" agreement saves the Climate Summit: "Everyone has given in"

• Final straight Frictions between north and south delay the final agreement of the Climate Summit

• Impact The poor health of the planet damages the heart

An "imperfect" agreement has managed to "save" in the cut-off time of COP26. After 13 days of negotiations - and despite last minute frictions over references to the elimination of fossil fuels and the financing of "damages and losses" to vulnerable countries - the representatives of the 197 delegations have approved the so-called Glasgow Climate Pact, a text that emphasizes the need to limit the increase in temperatures to 1.5 degrees, while recognizing that the commitments are still far from being achieved.

The approved text urges countries to "revisit and reinforce" their plans for reducing emissions in 2022, "taking into account different national circumstances."

to developing countries by 2025.

The summit ended with a linguistic struggle led at the last minute by China and India, first and third in the world ranking of emissions, who demanded (and achieved) the replacement of "phasing out" by "phasing out" in the controversial reference to coal and fossil fuels. "Do not kill this moment!", Protested energetically the vice president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, wrapped in his criticism by several countries, such as the Marshall Islands.

The COP26 president himself, Alok Sharma, acknowledged that despite its "imperfection", the text finally achieved "the consensus and support" necessary to close the summit with a feeling of mission accomplished, after a few

that jeopardized the negotiations.

Sharma celebrated the agreement as "the moment of truth for the planet, our children and our grandchildren", stressing that the text ensures that

and urging delegates to continue to advance on the "adaptation, mitigation and financing" fronts.

"Everyone has yielded," acknowledged Teresa Ribera, Vice President of the Government and Minister for the Ecological Transition.

"I am leaving Glasgow satisfied because this was a very complex negotiation." The changes regarding the mentions about the exit of coal (phase out replaced by phase down) are not our preferred option.

We believe that we must eliminate (not only reduce) coal, "the minister added.

Ribera praised the "courage" exhibited in the critical moments of the negotiations for the British presidency.

"I think this text sends a powerful call to action to the world," he stressed.

"The work must now be done by countries, capitals and companies."

The approved text recognizes that the increase in temperatures is already 1.1 degrees compared to the pre-industrial era and recalls how emissions should be reduced by 45% in 2030 so as not to exceed the 1.5 degree mark by the end of the century , according to the recommendation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

"A good negotiation makes all parties feel uncomfortable"

, was the positive assessment of the special envoy for the US climate, John Kerry, who shared the limelight in the final stretch with the vice president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans.

The two defended themselves against criticism from vulnerable countries demanding an explicit commitment to finance "damages" attributable to climate change.

"We are facing a good and powerful final communiqué,"

Kerry stressed.

"This is the time to join forces for future generations in a way that many of us never thought we would have to."

Timmermans for his part resisted the temptation to show the photo of his grandson to the cameras again, as he had done the day before.

Fossil fuels

The most important point of contention in the final moment was again the reference to fossil fuels, with India and Iran, and to a lesser extent China and South Africa, objecting to the final wording, despite having been notably softened.

The latest version calls for "accelerating the transition to low-emission energy systems", including efforts to "phase out" coal-fired power plants with "uncontrolled" emissions (leaving the door open to technology). capture of CO2) and "inefficient" subsidies for fossil fuels. "The controversial section was added at the end as an apostille" recognizing the need to support a just transition. "

The last day was mainly marked for hours by the friction between the north and the south on account of the financing of the "damages and losses" already caused by climate change.

Vulnerable countries were asking for more than a vague commitment to "dialogue" offered by developed countries, afraid to open the thunder box.

"It is no accident that the reference to financing losses in the third draft has disappeared: rich countries do not want to pay for the damage they have caused," said Mohamed Adow, director of the Shift Africa think tank.

"The financing of damages and losses should be the third pillar of the multilateral process, and that something that rich and polluting countries cannot ignore."

"You cannot continue to offer" dialogue "forever, that is a trap in which the developing countries cannot fall", added Adow, who pointed to the United Kingdom as the main responsible for the current situation: "The organizing country of COP26 cut its budget for international cooperation and aid to countries affected by climate change just before this summit, so it does not have enough credibility in the international community. "

Australia, drag on a deal

Australia, distinguished with the "Colossal Fossil" award at COP26 by the Climate Action Network, has also become Glasgow's other great drag. The Scott Morrison government, which tried to wash its image by announcing the goal of "carbon neutrality" in 2050, has been accused of repeatedly "hiding" behind Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Russia, among the countries most averse to climate action. .

Not only has the world's top coal exporter lobbied to soften references to fossil fuels in the final text, it

.

Australia, ravaged by devastating fires in 2019 and 2020, has ranked last out of 60 countries on the Climate Change Performance Index.

In fact, Australia lags behind the industrialized countries for its timid commitments, with an expected emission reduction of between 26 and 28% in 2030, compared to 68% for the United Kingdom or 55% for the European Union.

Very far in any case from the 45% cut in emissions necessary to maintain the maximum increase in temperatures at 1.5 degrees.

Despite his close alliance with the United Kingdom, embodied in a recent trade agreement, Boris

signed by more than a hundred countries.

As former negotiator Richie Merzian stated in Glasgow: "The only thing Australia really brought to the top was the good coffee they served in their pavilion."

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