Outlook 2022: Cop26’s imperfect progress

Glasgow saw just another Cop where some progress was made, but not enough if Paris Agreement targets are to be met

India’s announced 2070 net-zero target and acceleration of its 2030 climate goals were two of the few changes to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) announced at Glasgow’s Cop26 conference, with other revisions coming mostly in the run-up to the start of the meeting. All G20 countries apart from Mexico have now announced net-zero targets. But a study released by independent climate analysis consortium Climate Action Tracker during Cop26 found firm action contained within current NDCs would only limit end-of-century warming by a damaging 2.4-2.7oC. The study highlighted just how far away mid-term action is from where it needs to be and resulted in the UK hosts issuing a call for a revi