What is COP26 and why should you care?

COP26: An inconsequential acronym that the vast majority of us haven’t heard of. However, it is one we all need to. What if I told you that COP26 was one of the most important things you need to learn about, because simply speaking, it has the power to change the course of the future – for better or worse.

Let’s rewind. ‘COP’ is short for ‘Conference Of Parties’ which describes the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference. This global conference is scheduled to happen every year, and has been occurring since 1995, making this year’s the 26th – hence the name COP26. At this summit more than 190 leaders from countries across the globe meet to discuss climate change, its impacts and what can be done to mitigate them.

Along with these leaders, thousands of other people will attend and be part of the conference. These include marginalised groups from across the world (indigenous communities, interfaith groups and more) as well as NGO’s, charities and companies.

Over the years, Climate change has gone from a ‘fringe’ topic, to one of the main focuses. It has led to many important agreements and legislative processes being created due to the advancing of the climate crisis.

These include the ‘Paris Agreement’ which was a global agreement negotiated at the COP21 (held in Paris) and signed by 196 state parties. The outcome of the agreement was for all states who signed, to put action into place to help limit global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial times.

So why is this conference so important?

Two Reasons: COP26 will be held in Glasgow with the UK as president, and due to the ever increasing severity of the climate crisis, this conference will be the most important one as stringent, and decisive climate action must be taken.

Between October 31 and November 12 (and in the weeks before hand), Glasgow will become a hive of activity.

From high level politicians and leaders arriving, to expected mass protests and grass-roots action all across the city, it is very clear that COP26 won’t be a quiet affair.

Many of the 26 COP’s have been named as ‘failures’ by some, due to there often being a lack of ‘political will’ to find solutions to the climate’s difficult problems. There is also the fact that many agreements created at these events, are not always stuck to by those who signed them. All in all, this ‘iffy’ track record leads to many people being concerned about the outcomes of this year’s monumental summit.

The hardest truth to swallow is that we have no choice but to make this year’s COP different. With many countries either flooded, on fire or stifled by heavy clouds of pollution, the impacts of the climate emergency are becoming clearer by the day.

We are on the precipice of a climate disaster and without drastic change as an outcome of the COP, we will continue on a very dangerous path.