Comment: COP26 must herald a change from intention to climate action

The world must make COP26 a success, it is our only chance of getting onto a path that would keep us below the 1.5°C threshold and a crucial credibility test for the global fight against climate change.

‘The bottom line is that two or three ‘big’ announcements will not make for a successful COP26. Only a balanced package of decisions and actions reflecting the expectations, concerns, and needs of all stakeholders can do that.’ Picture: Getty

Evidence of the devastation that awaits us if we fail to address climate change continues to mount. Recent catastrophic flooding in Asia and western Europe, record-shattering temperatures in North America, and raging wildfires in southern Europe – all of which mirror disasters that developing countries have faced in recent years – remind us that no country is safe. The future of each one depends on the actions of all.

The scientific perspective is bleak. In ...