TERI at COP26

The 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will be held from 1–12 November 2021 in Glasgow and will aim to mobilize the action on mitigation, adaptation, and resilience, and strengthen the narrative for better alignment with sustainable development goals.

On 1 - 12 November 2021

Like previous years The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) will have a strong presence at COP26 in Glasgow. TERI will be organizing six events, out of which three will be official side events under TERI, TERI School of Advanced Studies and GRIHA Council. Details of events are listed in the table below.

The Glasgow Conference is the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to UNFCCC since the Paris Agreement took over from the Kyoto Protocol in 2020. COP26 is also expected to be a first indication as to whether the Paris Agreement can adequately address the issue of climate change. Some key expectations from the COP26 that would be worthwhile to track to gauge the success of COP26 focus on four broad themes:

• Defining time frames: Countries are expected to submit their revised NDCs to the Paris Agreement by 2020. These revised NDCs are expected to raise ambition and lay down stricter pathways to bring down emissions. However, one aspect that still needs more clarity is the issue of common time frames, or how long NDCs will last. The current options include 5 years, 10 years, 5 + 5 years (5-year NDCs, with ‘indicative’ NDCs submitted as well, among other interpretations), and different time frames for developed and developing countries. This matter is expected to be resolved in Glasgow and is a part of the Paris Rulebook.
• Internationally transferable mitigation outcomes: As part of the ‘Paris Rulebook’, one key aspect that needs clarity will be finding a common ground on Article 6 – a set of three issues that governs the trade in internationally transferable mitigation outcomes, a new market mechanism, and a framework for non-market-based approaches.
• Climate finance: Ten years ago, developed countries pledged to provide or mobilize USD 100 billion per year by 2020. The promise remains unfilled. According to the agenda for COP2, the Standing Committee on Finance would publish its fourth biennial assessment and overview of climate finance flows for discussion at the COP and present its assessment of the needs of developing country parties to implement the Convention and the Paris Agreement. This is an important effort and the first time such an assessment has been carried out under the UNFCCC.
• Adaptation: In 2019, the African Group requested a new agenda item on the Global Goal on Adaptation, which is enshrined in the Article 7, Paragraph 1 of Paris Agreement. For COP26, the expectations will be around the concrete outcomes for achieving this Goal.

Another agenda item that deserves due importance is the agenda item and proposals on modification of provisions of Article 4 and provisions concerning the Annex 1 and Annex 2 countries as mentioned in UNFCCC.

For any media related queries, please contact -
Mr Shreyas Joshi - shreyas.joshi@teri.res.in
Mr Sumit Bansal - sumit.bansal@teri.res.in