COP26 Meet highlights: PM declares war on climate change, promises net-zero emissions by 2070

PM Narendra Modi presented the formal position on India's climate action agenda, calling for adaptation and not mitigation to be the central strategy. He has targeted to make India net-zero emissions country by 2070. COP26, running from Sunday to November 12, are the biggest climate conference since the 2015 Paris summit and is seen as crucial in setting worldwide emission targets to slow global warming, as well as firming up other key commitments.

Indian Railways has aimed to make itself net-zero emitter by 2030, by this step alone there will be a drop of yearly 60 million tonne emission: PM Modi at COP26

PM Modi declares war on climate change

PM Modi has promised that:

India will increase its non-fossil fuel energy capacity to 500 GW to 2030

India will fulfill 50 per cent of its energy requirement from renewable energy by 2030

India will reduce its total carbon projection till 2030 by 1 bn tonnes

India will lessen its carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030

India will become a net-zero country by 2070

I propose the 'One-word' movement in front of you all- LIFE.This stands for Lifestyle for Environment.We need to start a movement of environmentally-conscious lifestyle: PM Modi

For me, the (Climate Summit) event at Paris was not just a summit, but a sentiment, a commitment and India was not making those promises to the world but 125 crore Indians were making it to themselves: PM Modi at COP26

PM Modi delivers national statement at COP26 summit

Biden says US will meet its climate goals, urges help for developing nations

President Joe Biden on Monday sought to assure world leaders the United States would keep its promise to slash greenhouse gas emissions by more than half by the end of the decade, even as the key policies to ensure those reductions remain uncertain.

Biden joined leaders from over 100 countries in Glasgow for the start of the COP26 climate conference, which kicked off on the heels of the G20 summit in Rome that concluded with a statement that urged "meaningful and effective" action on climate change but left huge work for negotiators to ensure an ambitious outcome. (Reuters)

There is a need to include climate change adaptation policies in school syllabus to make the next generation aware of issues: PM Modi at COP26

Adaptation needs to be made the main strategy in the fight against climate change. India's Ujjwala, Swacch Bharat Mission, Tap water for all, etc schemes are helping those in need and also increasing their quality of life. Many traditional communities have the knowledge to live with nature in harmony. Our adaption policies should give adequate importance to these methods: PM Modi at COP26

Untimely rains, floods are impacting agriculture and normal life. Drinking water sources to affordable housing, everything needs to be made resilient against climate change: PM Modi at COP26

Adaption has not been given as much attention in the global climate dialogue as mitigation. This is unfair to countries that will be impacted more by climate change. Many developing countries including India and their farmers are facing a big challenge. Cropping pattern is seeing a big change: PM Modi at COP26

PM Modi addressedthe COP26 summit and urgednations to join India's climate-friendly initiatives

COP26: French President Emmanuel Macron said we must coordinate on agendas on climate, biodiversity and oceans adding that every country must honour 2015 financial commitments.

COP26: USPresident Joe Biden said we are still falling short and there's no time left to hang back addingthat the countries have to help much more than we have thus far.He also added that the US climate commitment is action and not words.

COP26: UK launches India Green Guarantee, commits new funds for EVs in India

The UK will provide an “India Green Guarantee” to the World Bank, to unlock an additional 750 million pounds for green projects across India, it was announced at the COP26 summit in Glasgow on Monday.

The green guarantee financing will support clean and resilient infrastructure in sectors such as clean energy, transport and urban development.

Further, in an aid-backed Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), the UK has committed more than 210 million pounds in new investment at the UN climate summit to back transformational green projects in developing countries, including electric vehicles (EVs) in India. (PTI)

COP26: Spanish PM Sanchez says we need to commit to increasing climate funding

Brazil indigenous people tell COP26: you need us to solve climate crisis

Brazil's indigenous people said on Monday they would tell a UNclimate conference that the world needs their expertise in protecting the Amazon rainforest to solve the global warming crisis.

The groups - who say they are facing increasing threats from loggers, miners and Brazil's own climate-skeptic government - told Reuters they had brought 40 envoys to theCOP26conference in Glasgow, their biggest ever international delegation.

"If there is no protection of indigenous territories and rights, there will also be no solution to the climate crisis, because we are part of that solution," Sonia Guajajara, head of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (ABIP), said.

The Latest: COP26 activists say leaders blowing 'hot air'

Activists in costumes have posed as world leaders playing in a traditional Scottish bagpipe band on Monday as world leaders came together at the UNclimate conference in Glasgow.

The Oxfam campaigners wore kilts and said that world leaders need to come up with more action and not only “hot air” to tackle the climate crisis.

“These leaders, instead of reducing emissions and putting the world on a safer path, they are just blowing hot air, and we have had enough of hot air and empty promises, what we are asking for is for concrete action," Oxfam Climate Policy Lead Nafkote Dabi said.

“We need climate finance, poor countries need climate finance, vulnerable communities need climate finance, and they need to be serious about this, to support vulnerable countries, to adapt to the worst impact of the climate crisis.” (AP)

US officials slam an absent China as summit kicks off

The Biden administration ramped up its criticism of China on Monday as the USpresident traveled to Glasgow for the climate summit, calling on the Chinese to increase their emissions-cutting ambitions.

The critique sought to portray China and its leader, Xi Jinping — who is notably absent from COP26 — as large-economy laggards in the race to limit rising temperatures. It was also aimed at shifting criticism away from America’s domestic struggles in pushing to reduce emissions.

Briefing reporters on Air Force One, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, called the Chinese “significant outliers” among countries that have made commitments in an attempt to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. Sullivan said that China had “an obligation to step up to greater ambition as we go forward.” (NYT)

It is fantastic to see PM Modi at COP26 amongst all the world's leaders. It is very important that all make sure that we have some kind of resolution to take this world forward much more environmentally: Pam Gosal, first Indian woman in Scottish Parliament, after meeting the PM

A UNconference critical to averting the most disastrous effects of climate change kicked off on Monday, its task made even more daunting by the failure of major industrial nations to agree ambitious new commitments.

The COP26 conference in the Scottish city of Glasgow opened a day after the G20 economies failed to commit to a 2050 target to halt net carbon emissions - a deadline widely cited as necessary to prevent the most extreme global warming.

Instead, their talks in Rome only recognised "the key relevance" of halting net emissions "by or around mid-century", set no timetable for phasing out coal at home and watered down promises to cut emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas many times more powerful than carbon dioxide. (Reuters)

The COP26 climate summit must act to "save humanity" and protect the planet, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Monday, warning that currently "we are digging our own graves".

"It's time to say: enough," the United Nations Secretary-General told world leaders gathered in the Scottish city of Glasgow for the conference.

"Enough of brutalizing biodiversity. Enough of killing ourselves with carbon. Enough of treating nature like a toilet. Enough of burning and drilling and mining our way deeper. We are digging our own graves." (AFP)

UK PM Johnson on Monday opened the historic COP26 climate summit by warning world leaders that they faced a damning verdict from future generations unless they act decisively.

"The anger and the impatience of the world will be uncontainable, unless we make this COP26 in Glasgow the moment when we get real about climate change, and we can get real on coal, cars, cash and trees," he said in a keynote speech.

COP26: UK PM Boris Johnson said the future generations will not forgive us if we fail in Glasgow

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L) and United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres greet PM Narendra Modi as they arrive to attend the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland

US says China needs to 'step up' on climate action

A top US official lashed out Monday at China's "confounding" failure to "step up" on global action to manage the climate crisis.

President Joe Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, said most of the world would mark progress at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, thanks to a "real jolt of energy" over the course of 2021.

"Now the question is can we get the world aligned?" Sullivan asked aboard Air Force One, which was due to land shortly in Scotland.

"There are significant outliers," he told reporters, "one of those significant outliers being China, who will not be represented at leader level at COP26 and who we do believe has an obligation to step up to greater ambition as we go forward." (AFP)

Developed nations failed to meet yearly USD 100 billion support goal: Environment min at COP 26

Developed nations have not only failed to meet the USD 100 billion goal per year of support to developing nations since 2009 but also continue to present it as the ceiling of their ambition all the way to 2025, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said at the international climate conference COP 26.

Yadav, who is representing India at the UN Climate Change Conference, made the statement on behalf of the BASIC group of countries - Brazil, South Africa, India and China - at the opening plenary session of the Conference of Parties (COP 26), which began on Sunday. (PTI)

Britain to back $1 bln World Bank green loan to India, sources say

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce a sovereign guarantee for a $1 billion World Bank loan for India to develop green infrastructure, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday.

The announcement is likely to be made during the United Nations COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, which has been billed as a make-or-break chance to save the planet from the most calamitous effects of climate change.

"The UK's biggest finance offer to India at COP26 will be a $1 billion sovereign guarantee for additional World Bank lending for green infra," said one of the sources. They declined to the named as they were not authorised to talk to the media on the subject.

Spokespeople for the Indian and UK governments did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reuters)

Putin to deliver recorded COP26 message, no live video link

Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a recorded message to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, the Kremlin said on Monday, but there are no arrangements for the leader of the world's no. 4 greenhouse gas emitter to address the summit live.

Russia announced on Oct. 20 that Putin would not attend in person. His absence, and that of China's President Xi Jinping, were widely seen as dealing a blow to prospects of a breakthrough at the talks.

Moscow said at the time it would try to work out a way for Putin to speak by video conference, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday this would not be feasible. (Reuters)

World leaders in Glasgow for 'last, best hope' climate summit

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed more than 120 world leaders to historic climate talks in Glasgow Monday with the stark warning: "It's one minute to midnight, and we need to act now."

Global heads of state and government were convening for a two-day summit at the start of the UN's COP26 climate conference, with US President Joe Biden set to jet in from separate G20 talks in Rome.

The G20 members including China, India and Western nations collectively emit nearly 80 percent of global carbon emissions, but campaigners' hopes for more decisive action heading in to COP26 were dashed. (AFP)

White House says critical that work continues after Glasgow Summit

(Reuters)

Success at Summit is 'touch and go', says Britain

Success at the COP26 climate summit is "touch and go", British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Monday.

Truss said the United Nations climate summit showed just what "Global Britain" could do, with the commitments it has already received and the world leaders who are attending.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by Indian Community, in Glasgow.

(PTI)

US set to galvanise global 'ambition' on climate, say officials

The United States is back to leading the world on fighting climate change and President Joe Biden will use a UN summit in Glasgow to energise partners, US officials said.

Special climate envoy John Kerry told reporters ahead of Biden's arrival on Monday at the COP26 summit that the aim is "to leave Glasgow having raised global ambition very significantly and to be more on track to keep a 1.5 degrees within reach".

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Global headlines, local headaches: Jairam Ramesh on PM's Glasgow visit

Climate finance pledges from rich nations are inadequate and time is running out

The make-or-break United Nations climate talks in Glasgow have begun. Much attention so far has rightly focused on the emissions reduction ambition each nation is taking to the negotiations. But another key goal of the talks is to dramatically scale up so-called “climate finance” for developing nations.

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PM Modi to present India’s climate action agenda at COP26 in UK

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be presenting the formal position on India's climate action agenda and lay out the best practices and achievements in the sector at the COP26 summit in Glasgow on Monday.

During the high-profile segment of the World Leaders’ Summit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver a national statement alongside other world leaders and India’s statement will come after that of Prime Minister of Poland Matuesz Morawiecki, with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan set to follow.

PTI

China's Xi to address Glasgow COP26 in written statement today

Chinese President Xi Jinping will address the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow on Monday in the form of a written statement, according to an official schedule.

Xi's statement will be uploaded to the official conference website on Monday following addresses by world leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron, President of France.

According to the list of speakers released by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Xi is the only leader to address the "First Part of the High-Level Segment for Heads of State and Government" in a written statement.

(Reuters)

OPINION | What COP-26 means for us

The much-postponed global UN climate change convention is finally happening in Glasgow, with several world leaders, corporates, activists and academics in attendance. While many have written about what is at stake at the climate meet, every country and region looks at the convention from its own perspective.

Read more

What did the G20 Summit agree?

Meeting in person for the first time in two years, G20 leaders had a full agenda including climate change, the Covid pandemic, a landmark tax deal and global economy worries.

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IMF head urges COP26 leaders to ramp up climate ambition

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva on Sunday urged world leaders gathered at the COP26 summit in Glasgow to show greater policy ambition, calling climate change a "grave threat to macroeconomic and financial stability."

Georgieva published a blog post titled "Climate Threat Demands More Ambitious Global Action" before heading to Glasgow, where she will take part in the climate talks according to an IMF spokesperson.

(AFP)

Boris Johnson to commit hike in UK's climate finance at start of COP26

The world must move from aspiration to action to limit rising global temperatures, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will tell world leaders at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow on Monday as he commits to increase the UK’s climate finance by GBP 1 billion by 2025.

In an address at the World Leaders Summit opening ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Johnson will urge all countries to take concrete steps on phasing out coal, accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, and halt deforestation, as well as supporting developing nations on the frontline of the climate crisis with climate finance.

(PTI)

PM Modi arrives in UK for COP26 Summit, bilateral talks with Johnson

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Glasgow on Sunday for the COP26 climate summit and bilateral talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) meet.

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Good morning readers, welcome to DH's live coverage of the COP26 Meet