Will COP26 provide the opportunity for inclusive climate change action?
COP25 was seen as disappointing for not achieving its outcomes. A year on, will COP26 deliver an inclusive event committed to action, considering the criticism of the board from the #SheChangesClimate movement and others?
Key takeaways
COP26 is a huge opportunity for change after the inconclusive talks at COP25 and the shift in awareness of climate change during the pandemic
The UK is focusing on five priority areas for COP26: the energy transition, a shift to zero-carbon transport, adaptation and resilience, nature and the safeguarding of ecosystems and the unleashing of green finance
However, the possibility of a more inclusive and actionable COP26 is unlikely so groups like She Changes Climate are focusing on addressing the board gender disparities for a fairer future on climate change
The UN Climate Change Conference 2021 – or COP26 – to be held in Glasgow from 1st to 12th of November follows a tumultuous year where many countries are still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conferences are a way for the 200 countries involved to voice their points on the future of climate action, discussing and agreeing to the elements and rules going forward for years to come. The Paris Agreement, the treaty formed at COP21, has called on nations to reduce their carbon emissions and limit global average temperature increases to below 2C. Since its inception, it has become the benchmark for reducing climate impact around the globe. However, it has been beset with problems.
For many of the member states involved, the attention shifted away from climate concerns to survival as the pandemic unfolded over the course of 2020 and COP26 was postponed. While the delay on climate action has meant that the goals from COP25 were put off again, the halting of operations around the world has made the case for changing attitudes towards a more inclusive COP26, focusing on bringing in more women, POC and ethnic minorities to the table on climate action.
Alex Scott, E3G's Climate Diplomacy and Geopolitics Programme Leader says, “We really need to see COP26 this year showcasing a huge step forward in the global understanding of the climate crisis, that understanding that different levels of governments, from cities to state governments as well understand the risks to their citizens, but also the shared global risk of climate challenge and a step forward in the actions being taken to prepare for those risks. That means countries like the UK setting what they put forward in the adaptation communication to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), but really sharing that with their public, making sure people understand what the risks are and the actions that need to be taken on an individual, city, and national level.”
The UK has unveiling five priority areas for COP26:
the energy transition
a shift to zero-carbon transport
adaptation and resilience
nature and the safeguarding of ecosystems
the unleashing of green finance
These priorities use the UK’s strong suits, especially towards energy and finance as London retains its position as the banking capital post-Brexit.
Scott also believes that “it also means making sure that all countries in the world have access to the money needed to prepare for climate risks and address climate impacts when they happen. That means scaling up the amount of climate finance that's provided for adaptation. Currently, adaptation projects are sitting around 20% or less. In many cases, the amount of finance that's provided by donor countries – that needs to rapidly scale up to being at least 50%. We need to be seeing climate finance go into addressing the risks of climate change, as well as trying to mitigate it by reducing emissions.” Financing was one of the main issues with the unsuccessful COP25 and remains a sticking point going forward.
Countries had also been forced to reckon with their lack of preparation for a pandemic. With new research coming out looking into its cause, many are saying that it could also be a result of inadequate action in safeguarding animal ecosystems. Bianca Pitt – founder of She Changes Climate, a campaign group to get more women on the COP26 board – noted that “there was a fantastic study in the Science Magazine that basically said, 'Welcome to the era of pandemics' – that we are going to see pandemics increasingly more frequently. Why? Because we've been deforesting too much and so these zoonotic diseases come and look for new home in humans.” As the climate conversation has deepened, so too have interlinked problems, like the human interference in animal habitats coming to the forefront and problems in human and animal proximity, especially when it comes to animal rearing for food. In this respect, the UK’s focus on safeguarding ecosystems plays well into these concerns.
As we get used to living with the pandemic, countries and leaders are experiencing a shift away from an emergency state, which should allow for a renewed effort in reaffirming the commitments made at the last COP as well as a double-down on preserving the planet and cutting carbon emissions according to the Paris Agreement. However, with the impending approval of new North Sea oil fields, it is questionable whether the UK is taking its position as COP hosts seriously.
Images from designers showcasing in Fashion Open Studio’s Adaptation and Resilience digital event series forming part of the British Council’s The Climate Connection global programme.
What went wrong at COP25
Two years ago, COP25 was seen as a disappointment, with many voicing their concerns that the deadline of 2020 was not being met. The numerous goals set around stepping up ambition, advancing the conversation around carbon market rules and common timeframes while addressing the loss and damage section at COP24 in Katowice were all pushed to the following year after the longest period of talks ever at COP. The growing resistance from climate activist groups and the unrest in Chile already meant that COP25 had to be moved, which resulted in last-minute changes that made diplomatic communication harder, resulting in a lack of progress in conversations.
“If you think about the power system we’ve got now in the world, it is, broadly speaking, run by baby boomers. In a generation that wasn’t built for radical change and quite the opposite, the words radical, revolution and activism makes them feel deeply, deeply uncomfortable, because they were built for security, safety, wealth generation, compromise. Not for radical change.”
Failure in implementing systems has also been put down to a lack of young voices at the table who would have been far more ready to implement radical action at the previous conference. Bianca Pitt says, “If you think about the power system we've got now in the world, it is, broadly speaking, run by baby boomers. In a generation that wasn't built for radical change and quite the opposite, the words radical, revolution and activism makes them feel deeply, deeply uncomfortable, because they were built for security, safety, wealth generation, compromise. Not for radical change.” As COP26 is led by those within that generation, talks are difficult and still prioritise capita growth rather than cutting down on fossil fuel resources or developing new climate change action models. This is underscored by the focus of COP26 on energy and developing new revenue streams rather than correcting issues like addressing the Loss and Damage section according to the Warsaw International Mechanism that went unanswered at COP25.
Putting inclusivity first
A year on, priorities have shifted, with social movements like Black Lives Matter helping in giving a voice to those who were not able to have one previously because of structural systemic inequality. The point of inclusivity had not been raised at COP25, although it had been a significant point of concern for indigenous groups involved with climate and land preservation. While COP25 did little to address the allegations of eco-colonialism across its parties, with the UK leading the conversation at COP26 this will undoubtedly be a point for activists present. Only four members of the COP26 team are POC and there are only three women across the board and COP26 unit. However, COP26 is aiming to work with indigenous communities and academics through its Friends of COP26 plan. Unfortunately, the capacity for which these agents can affect change across the decision-making by the COP26 members is unknown.
For industry leaders like Bel Jacobs, a writer and speaker on climate justice, animal rights and alternative systems in fashion, inclusivity within COP26 is a glaring problem. “There should be more positive efforts at making sure women and POC are properly represented. This shouldn’t be hard: there are dozens of strong, clear spokespeople for both groups and they need to be invited to the table. We need to look outside traditional pools for representatives to new groups and communities who have yet to take part in discussions that viscerally affect their lives and the lives of our children. Priority should be given to those who stand on the frontline of climate and ecological breakdown and that, again and again, will be women, people of colour and indigenous peoples. THIS is what climate justice looks like. Ironically, and tragically, these are also the same groups who could, with conviction and knowledge, counter the traditional masculine narratives of power that are destroying our planet.” As the COP26 board is overwhelmingly male, the idea of an intersectional approach to inclusivity among its members still seems far away.
COP26 has been specifically targeted by movements like She Changes Climate for not addressing the gender disparities. Jacobs agrees that this is a crucial aspect of finding solutions for climate change. “Focusing on women – according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), if women had the same access to productive resources as men in developing countries, they could increase yields on farms by 20 to 30 percent - in turn, raising total agricultural output by 2.5 to 4 percent. In Rwanda, as an example, women with formalized land rights were 19 percent more likely to engage in soil conservation, compared to 10 percent among men. The findings are echoed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Land and Urban Office, amongst (many) others: “When women have secure land rights, land is used more efficiently, and agricultural investment and production increase.”
The inclusivity question had also looked at gender disparities on the board. The COP26 leadership team had been pointed out to only include 25% women on their board. As the climate emergency affects and includes women as key changemakers in the future of society, their visibility and action on places like the board would allow for more representative viewpoints. Bianca Pitt’s priority is to make COP26 a #5050Vision, with half of its leadership roles going to women. “Ultimately, there's an economic cost to excluding women. In the communication, we must shine a light on women. The reason we want to see women appointed to leadership roles is we need their input on finding solutions. I think they're literally the key to unlocking the climate and biodiversity crisis. Arguably, we wouldn't be at this point today if women had been fully involved with business and politics all along.” As COP26 is going to be instrumental in showing the path forward, gender disparities within the decision-making groups will result in an unequal approach to climate action that does not address these concerns and could severely harm the future of climate action.
The Fashion Industry and COP26
For many industries like fashion, climate action would help improve the lives of those working in the supply chain in developing countries like Bangladesh and India, both of which have been heavily affected by the impact of global pollution and the pandemic. According to the campaign group Labour Behind the Label, 80% of garment workers are female and create garments under conditions of harassment and exploitation, even before adding in the impact that the fashion industry pollution has on developing countries and local ecosystems. The importance of the She Changes Climate campaign also applies to these widely marginalized groups who are greatly involved in clothing production and yet are denied a voice.
“For progress to be established, their needs must be a top priority for the sector. This includes delivering on liveable wages, occupational promotions, educational opportunities, and safe working conditions.”
Kerry Bannigan, social entrepreneur, and founder of the Conscious Fashion Campaign, executive director, Fashion Impact Fund, believes that more can be done to protect workers and improve their conditions. “Largely through its manufacturing processes and supply chains, the fashion sector continues to remain responsible for significant amounts of pollution and global inequalities. From an employment perspective, most garment workers are female which gives the sector a great influence over gender equality. For progress to be established, their needs must be a top priority for the sector. This includes delivering on liveable wages, occupational promotions, educational opportunities, and safe working conditions.” While climate action may seem limited to reducing carbon emissions, social sustainability – as described through the model of doughnut economics proposed by Kate Raworth – also focuses on structural inequalities that if addressed, would create a fairer system for the workers as well.
These proposals for a more inclusive COP26 come at a trying time when many countries are still reeling from the effect of the pandemic or are plagued by new variants and trying to keep afloat. No doubt maintaining economic prosperity will be a priority of many of the members present at COP26, side-lining inequality issues as well as the pressing need to address previous points from COP25 like fossil fuel lobbying and the need for China to reduce emissions.
What can you do to help?
One way that people can affect change for the COP26 comes from supporting actions like She Changes Climate in getting a #5050vision across the board and advocating for organisations that prioritise inclusivity and give a voice to marginalized groups, including indigenous communities and garment workers in fashion. Sign She Changes Climate Open Letter here.
Header image by Anna Jones via Pinterest
