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COP26

FES@COP26: United Nations Climate Change Conference 2021 in Glasgow

The international climate conference COP26 will be taking place in Glasgow between 31 October and 12 November 2021. Although quarantine and entry rules due to the Covid-19 pandemic have hampered the participation of civil society actors and delegations from the Global South, it is easily the most important climate conference since 2015, when the Paris climate agreement was concluded.

In the run-up to the event, there was much uncertainty about whether the conference could take place as planned due to the Corona pandemic, having already been postponed by a year. The approach taken by the British government was criticised because civil society groups from the Global South in particular do not have the resources to travel to Glasgow under the current restrictions. On the other hand, the urgency of the climate crisis makes it vital that the climate conference take place.

For there are  a number of crucial climate policy decisions to be made, above all on climate financing, adaptation to climate change and climate-related loss and damage. Furthermore, all countries need to update their national climate protection plans – the so-called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – in order to meet the 1.5 degree target and work out transparent rules for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Last but not least, agreement must be reached on the establishment of international emissions trading in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement. To date this has given rise to considerable controversy.

The FES will also be in Glasgow. We will accompany the climate policy negotiations with numerous background talks, briefings and side events together with our partners, both virtually and on site. Our focus is on Just Transition, civil society participation and climate justice. In addition, we are present with a delegation, supporting in particular trade union and civil society voices from the Global South at COP26.

In this context we are supporting the work of the NGO Climate Tracker. Climate Tracker aims to strengthen climate journalism worldwide by training young journalists from the Global South in the context of the UN climate negotiations. They will report on their impressions here on this page over the coming days and weeks.


Reports on the World Climate Conference 2021

12 gelbe Wassercontainer werden mit einem Schlauch befüllt.

Climate change in conflict areas: How extreme weather ravaged conflict-affected Palestine and Yemen

Climate Change, Energy and Environment

In conflict-affected areas, immediate needs such as protection, peacebuilding and stability are prioritised. Climate change is often viewed as secondary....


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EIne Meeresschildkröte im blauen Wasser.

Ecuador’s new marine reserve

Climate Change, Energy and Environment

Ecuador's president Guillermo Lasso announced plans to create a new marine reserve in Galapagos: But will it offer more protection? Experts are skeptical.

...
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Nahaufnahme von einem Kohlebergmann. Er trägt eine Brille und einen Schutzhelm. Sein Gesicht ist verdreckt vom Kohlestaub.

Climate finance: industrialised countries fail to meet funding pledges for Africa

Climate Change, Energy and Environment

For the last decade, developed countries have failed to meet their yearly pledge of $100 billion to help emerging economies tackle climate change. In the...


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Maskierte Personen protestieren beim COP26 in den Philippinen für mehr KLimaschutz.

Exclusion of civil society: activists criticise the Philippine COP26 delegation

Climate Change, Energy and Environment

For the Philippines, as one of the nations that is most vulnerable to the climate crisis, the outcomes of COP26 are vital. However, the lack of...


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Gemälde einer jungen Frau, die halb im Wasser steht. Sie hebt eine Hand mit einem ausgestreckten Finger und hält die andere Hand offen, um die Zahl 1.5 zu symbolisieren. Auf ihrem schwarzen T-Shirt steht "1.5 TO STAY ALIVE". Im Hintergrund brennt eine grosse Fläche, aus der dichter Rauch aufsteigt. Der Himmel ist teilweise blau, teilweise von Rauch bedeckt.

„Polluters must pay“

Climate Change, Energy and Environment

Many small island developing states (SIDS) are struggling to survive. That is why the island states of Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu, which is acutely...


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This year, we are once again working with Climate Tracker and supporting young journalists from the Global South to participate in their programme. They are trained by Climate Tracker, report for us on the COP26 and are also present at FES events.


Publications on Climate Change and Energy Policy

Beuermann, Christiane; Brandemann, Victoria

Just transition in national climate plans

An analysis of case studies from South Africa, Costa Rica and Ukraine
Bonn, 2021

Download publication (320 KB, PDF-File)


Hirsch, Thomas; Mattheß, Manuela

Build forward better!

Die globale Bekämpfung der Klimakrise in Zeiten der Pandemie
Berlin, 2021

Download publication (260 KB, PDF-File)


People's voices in national climate plans

Civil society perspectives from Kenya, the Kyrgyz Republic, Morocco and the Philippines
Berlin, 2021

Download publication (360 KB, PDF-File)


Retrospective

Retrospective

COP25

Reports and Assessments from Climate Change Conference 2019 in Madrid. more

COP24

COP24

Reports and Assessments from Climate Change Conference 2018 in Katowice. more

Retrospective

COP 23

Reports and Assessments from Climate Change Conference 2017 in Bonn. more

The Conference of the Parties (COP)

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the annual meeting of the member states of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC was adopted at the UN Environmental and Development Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and the parties have met to discuss answers and solutions to fighting climate change multilaterally and at international level since 1995. Particularly far-reaching climate policy decisions were taken at the third COP (COP3) in Kyoto, known as the Kyoto Protocol, and at COP21 in Paris, which resulted in the Paris Agreement.

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