COP26 agrees new global climate deal

The agreement is a significant climate change pact

The Cop26 climate summit has concluded with nations agreeing to a landmark deal that aims to prevent catastrophic global warming. With talks ongoing for over 24 hours after the Glasgow conference was scheduled to end, crucial negotiations were occurring over a number of issues, such as fossil fuel subsidies, emission-reduction timelines and climate finance for developing nations. India and China made a late intervention to change the language in the final text on coal, changing it to “phase down” on unbated coal power instead of the stronger “phase out”. The Glasgow Climate Pact is the first climate deal to specifically plan to reduce coal, which is the worst fossil fuel for greenhouse gases. In hope of reaching the goal of 1.5C, countries have pledged to meet next year to pledge further major carbon cuts as part of the agreement. Should global temperatures rise by more than 1.5C, scientists say the Earth will suffer from severe effects.