Looking out on day three of COP26

As one of the most important international negotiations in our history kicks off, trying to read between the lines of what could make a difference and what is political fluff can be daunting.?Getting up this morning I’ve had a go at determining what I think is important and what isn’t.?

Let’s start with the idea of One Sun, One World, One Grid. This is an initiative that recognises the importance of solar power to the future of powering the planet. Its members include Australia, France, India, USA and the UK, supported by a significant number of African countries and South America. There is an opportunity to export what we have in abundance – solar power - and deliver this resource to the rest of the world. It’s an interesting initiative, especially as solar is now the cheapest form of energy production. Will we be able to expand a wider electrical grid network, spanning thousands of miles, seas and oceans? Potentially. Important – yes. Politically difficult? It shouldn’t be.

Yesterday, we heard about The Global Methane Pledge which aims to limit methane emissions by 30% compared with 2020 levels. This is something not regularly talked about in public. We hear a lot about burping cows, but not the methane leakage when we drill for oil or methane, and when we transport it. This pledge is important, but really is a no brainer.?Fracking in the US has left a legacy that needs cleaning up, and it’s something we should have done already. Important – yes. Politically difficult – for the US yes; rest of the world, not really.

We also learned about the signing of a pledge to protect forestry and land degradation. How we protect the lungs of the earth, the Amazon, the Indonesian rainforests, the Congo and other tropical rainforests, has long been debated. For the countries that are home to these forests it has always been a challenge. Such an important resource for the world, but of no significant economic value where it stands. The international pledge to find ways to monitise preserving forests and improving land degradation is a welcome step. One that is a little like motherhood and apple-pie, most people tend to like trees and would like to see more of them. Important – yes. Politically difficult – yes for the tropical countries, less so for the rest of the world.

Next, the absent leaders. So, China, Russia and Brazil are all no shows. Russia and Brazil hardly surprising, countries led by politics that don’t really do world stage collaboration. China, however, is a disappointment as it plays a pivotable role not only in its own country, but everywhere it invests. One explanation could be the recent move by the US, Australia, and UK to sign a new trilateral security partnership known as AUKUS, unveiled in September, means that Australia could become the first non-nuclear-weapon state to field a nuclear-powered submarine as part of the partnership. The partnership didn’t go down well with the Chinese and officials were quick to condemn the AUKUS initiative.

The Glasgow stage is also the return of the US to climate negotiations, hosted by a strong US ally. It is quite possible the Chinese didn’t feel the same welcome. What is absolutely imperative is that China is part of a worldwide effort on climate change.?Let’s hope what we agree here in Glasgow can be endorsed at a distance in Beijing.

Today is finance day. Where we work out where the money is going to come from and how we make sure it flows to the right places. World leaders need to come good on delivering $100 billion of investment into developing countries on an annual basis. Let’s see how they do. No snoozing!