'Significant work' remains ahead of Cop 26

Climate ministers made limited progress on key issues at informal talks held in London earlier this week ahead of November's UN climate summit Cop 26 in Glasgow.

The two-day ministerial meeting brought together more than 50 countries for talks on areas including the Paris climate agreement's Article 6 rulebook, climate finance and climate adaptation. The meeting was the first of its kind to take place in person since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with additional virtual participation available for those unable to travel.

Cop 26 president-designate Alok Sharma welcomed the meeting's "constructive discussions", but warned that "significant differences" persist following the talks.

"We have moved closer together. But still, on these vital issues we are not yet close enough. There is much more work to be done ahead of Cop 26 and in Glasgow itself."

Ministers "agreed ways to keep the conversations going and drive action forward" ahead of the summit at this week's meeting, Sharma said.

This included a commitment by Singapore and Norway's climate ministers to continue informal consultations with other ministers on Article 6 of the Paris agreement, which presents the possibility of trading emissions reductions between countries and could provide the foundations for an international carbon market.

Disagreements on how to govern the practice have been a significant stumbling block for negotiations at previous summits, and finding a resolution to this will be one of the key aspects of this year's conference.

Ministers from Rwanda and Switzerland also agreed this week to consult on common time frames for signatories' nationally determined contributions to the Paris deal.

And Germany and Canada's ministers committed to leading a plan designed to mobilise the $100bn/yr of climate finance pledged by developed countries since 2009, for the period 2020-25.

Further ministerial consultations on other issues, including transparency, will be initiated in the coming weeks, Sharma added. "I hope that all this work will allow us to arrive in Glasgow in the best possible position to reach agreement."

By Victoria Hatherick