COP26 Glasgow, 2021

🗂️ Background

The 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) under the UNFCCC was held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, in 2021.

To understand COP26, remember this one-line essence:

Paris (2015) decided the goals; Glasgow (2021) decided the rulebook.

Institutional Significance

• CMA3: 3rd Meeting of Parties to the Paris Agreement
• CMP16: 16th Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol

👉 This overlap shows how COP26 acted as a bridge between the Kyoto era and the Paris era.

🎯 Core Mandate of COP26

The main task of COP26 was to:

• Finalise rules and procedures for implementing the Paris Agreement

Why was this necessary?

• The Paris Agreement requires countries to enhance ambition every 5 years
• Hence, by 2020, countries had to:
  • Submit or update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

However, without a clear rulebook, transparency, carbon markets, and accountability remained unresolved.

📜 Glasgow Climate Pact

The key political outcome of COP26 was the Glasgow Climate Pact.

What does it reaffirm?

• Recognises the authority of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports
• Reaffirms:
  • Well below 2°C target
  • Pursuing 1.5°C target (Paris Agreement)

Strengthening Climate Action

• Countries were asked to strengthen 2030 NDCs by 2022
• Aim: Global net zero emissions by mid-century (2050)

⚡ Coal and Fossil Fuel Language: A Diplomatic Turning Point

For the first time in UN climate history, a COP decision explicitly mentioned coal.

Key Decisions:

• Phase Down of Coal, not Phase Out
• Call to remove “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies

📌 Why “phase down”?

• Strong opposition from coal-dependent developing countries
• Shows political compromise, not scientific compromise

💰 Climate Finance & Loss and Damage

Finance Commitments

• Developed countries were reminded to deliver:
  • $100 billion per year till 2025

Loss and Damage

• Establishment of Glasgow Dialogue
  • To discuss funding arrangements for climate-induced disasters
• Operationalisation of the Santiago Network
  • Focus: Avert, minimise, and address loss and damage

👉 This was a moral victory for vulnerable countries, though no dedicated fund was created yet.

♻️ Carbon Markets: The Biggest Breakthrough

Background Problem

• Kyoto’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) expired in 2020
• Paris Agreement’s carbon market was non-functional

Deadlock

• Developing countries (India, China, Brazil):
  • Held large unused carbon credits
• Developed countries:
  • Opposed carrying forward old credits

📌 What Does the Glasgow Pact Decide?

• Unused carbon credits can be used only for the first NDC cycle
• Cannot be used for future NDCs
• Effectively allows usage only till 2025

👉 This compromise finally unlocked Article 6 negotiations.

🧾 Major Outcomes of COP26

Paris Rulebook Finalised

• Completed the Paris Agreement Rulebook
• Enables:
  • Transparency
  • Accountability
  • Market mechanisms

Global Stocktake Initiated

• A collective assessment of progress
• To conclude in 2023
• Evaluates:
  • Mitigation
  • Adaptation
  • Means of implementation

🤝 Role of Non-State Actors

COP26 formally recognised the role of:

• Civil society
• Indigenous peoples
• Local communities
• Youth and children
• Nature-based solutions

👉 Climate action is no longer state-centric.

🎓 Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) & Youth

• Adoption of a 10-year Glasgow Work Programme on ACE
• Focus areas:
  • Climate education
  • Training
  • Public awareness
• Youth recognised as agents of change

👩‍🦱 Gender and Climate Action

• Builds upon Lima Work Programme on Gender
• Decision to review Gender Action Plan in 2022
• Emphasis on:
  • Women’s meaningful participation
  • Gender-responsive climate policy

🌐 Marrakech Partnership

• Five-year plan launched for Improved Marrakech Partnership
• Platform for collaboration between:
  • Governments
  • Businesses
  • Investors
  • Cities
  • Civil society

📘 Paris Agreement Rulebook & Article 6

Article 6.2

• Regulates bilateral and mini-multilateral carbon markets
• Allows trading of emission reductions for NDCs

Article 6.4

• Creates a centralised global carbon market
  • Called Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM)
  • Successor of CDM

Key Political Resolutions:

• Avoiding double counting
• Treatment of unused CDM credits
• Financing for adaptation

🌿 Global Methane Pledge

• Nearly 100 countries signed
• Target: 30% methane reduction by 2030 (from 2020 levels)

📌 Impact:

• Could prevent 0.2°C warming by 2050
• Critical for achieving 1.5°C goal

🇮🇳 India is not a signatory

• Reason: High methane share from agriculture and livestock

🚗 Enhanced Climate Actions by Countries

• 30+ countries pledged:
  • 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2040
• Country-specific moves:
  • Brazil: Net zero shifted from 2060 → 2050
  • China: Detailed roadmap for 2030 peak & 2060 net zero
  • Israel: Net zero by 2050

⚙️ Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda

• Endorsed by 42 countries (including India)
• Focus sectors:
  • Clean power
  • Road transport
  • Steel
  • Hydrogen
• Aim: Rapid diffusion of clean technologies

💼 Glasgow Finance Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ)

• Coalition of 160+ financial institutions
• Objective: Net zero emissions by 2050

Mandatory Conditions:

• Science-based targets
• All emission scopes
• 2030 interim targets
• Transparent reporting
• Alignment with UN Race to Zero

🇮🇳 India at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021)

When we analyse India’s role at COP26, one thing must be understood clearly:

India did not come to Glasgow to make symbolic promises; it came with a calibrated, responsibility-based climate roadmap.

India’s intervention at COP26 was anchored in equity, developmental needs, and climate justice, while still signalling enhanced ambition.

🌿 India’s Commitment: The Five-Fold Strategy (Panchamrit)

At COP26, India announced a five-fold climate strategy, popularly called Panchamrit.

This was significant because:

• Two commitments were upward revisions of existing NDC targets
• India revised targets because it was already on track to exceed them well before 2030
• By 2023, both earlier NDC targets were already surpassed

Let us understand each component step by step.

50% Energy from Renewables by 2030

• Earlier NDC target: 40%
• Revised target: 50% of total energy capacity from non-fossil sources

📌 Key Achievement:

• India has already crossed 40% non-fossil installed capacity ahead of schedule

This reflects credible ambition backed by performance, not paper commitments.

Reduction of One Billion Tonnes of Carbon Emissions by 2030

• This is an absolute emissions reduction target, not merely intensity-based
• Indicates India’s willingness to contribute meaningfully to global mitigation

Emissions Intensity Reduction by <45% (per unit GDP)

• Earlier target: 35%
• Revised target: less than 45%

📌 This aligns climate action with economic growth, which is critical for a developing economy.

500 GW Renewable Energy Capacity by 2030

• One of the most ambitious renewable targets globally
• Includes solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and green hydrogen-linked power

Supporting initiatives:

• National Hydrogen Mission
• Green Hydrogen Policy

🎯 Long-term goal: Energy independence by 2047

Net Zero Emissions by 2070

• India announced a net zero target for 2070

👉 This is later than developed countries, but India justified it on:

• Low historical emissions
• Developmental priorities
• Energy poverty concerns

This reflects the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR).

🌍 One LIFE, One World & Climate Finance Demand

At Glasgow, India also gave the slogan:

“One LIFE, One World”

Alongside this:

• India called upon developed nations to mobilise $1 trillion in climate finance
• Emphasised access to:
  • Low-cost finance
  • Technology transfer
  • Support from mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund

📌 India clearly linked ambition with means of implementation.

⚡ “Phase Down of Coal”, Not “Phase Out”

One of the most debated moments of COP26 was the coal wording.

What did the Glasgow Climate Pact say?

• “Phase down of unabated coal”, not “phase out”

Why did India support “phase down”?

• Coal remains critical for:
  • Energy security
  • Affordable electricity
• Immediate phase-out would:
  • Hurt developing economies
  • Increase energy costs
• Phased-down approach allows:
  • Gradual transition
  • Commercial viability of new renewable and storage technologies

👉 This was not climate denial, but transition realism.

🌲 Leader’s Declaration on Forests and Land Use

On the sidelines of COP26, a declaration was adopted to:

• Halt deforestation and land degradation by 2030

Key Features:

• Initiated by the UK
• Recognised forests as:
  • Carbon sinks
  • Adaptation buffers
  • Providers of ecosystem services
• Signed by 105+ countries, including:
  • UK, US, Russia, China

India’s Position:

• India did not sign, along with:
  • Argentina
  • Mexico
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa

❓ Why Didn’t India Sign?

India objected because:

• The declaration linked trade with climate and forest issues
• Trade matters fall under the WTO, not climate forums
• India requested removal of the word “trade”
• When this was not accepted, India opted out

👉 This reflects India’s concern over green protectionism.

🌱 LiFE: Lifestyle for Environment

At COP26, PM Modi launched Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment).

What is Mission LiFE?

• An India-led global initiative
• Focuses on behavioural change, not just technology
• Aims to make sustainability:
  • People-centric
  • Action-oriented
  • Culturally adaptable

Core Philosophy:

• Shift from:
  • “Use and Dispose” → Circular Economy
• Promote:
  • Reduce
  • Reuse
  • Recycle

Guiding Principle:

“Lifestyle of the planet, for the planet, and by the planet”

Mission LiFE embodies the P3 model:

• Pro Planet People