Why COP26 is so important for the future of the planet

It’s been the talk of newsrooms and social media feeds the world over for months but finally, the wait is over. COP26 is here and it’s going to dominate our attention for the coming weeks. But who is attending the event and what decisions are expected to be made that will affect how we power our homes and businesses, produce our food, build infrastructure and transport ourselves and goods in the future?

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Glasgow from Oct 31 to Nov 12. This 26th annual Conference of the Parties (COP26) will see the world’s nations gather to discuss climate change.

Setting the scene for COP26, UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, stated that the world is facing a ‘climate catastrophe’. With 120 world leaders and hundreds of high-profile delegates from business and non-profit organisations in attendance, there is real hope that a new green agenda can be set that will avert the looming climate crisis.

When the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a report declaring global warming a ‘code red for humanity’ the warning was stark. Publication of further hard-hitting reports in the countdown to COP26 means the world’s gaze falls firmly on Glasgow as global leaders gather for crucial talks.

To understand the significance, it is worth recalling COP21 (Paris, 2015) where196 nations agreed to: work together to limit global warming (to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels); adapt to the impacts of the changing climate; and invest financially to deliver change.

The Paris Agreement saw countries commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, delivering an updated reduction target every five years. With Paris pledges projected to fall short of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees - with current emissions levels expected to see temperatures rise by 2.7 degrees, causing devastation to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities - new targets will be revealed by each country at COP26.

A key goal of COP26 is securing global net-zero emissions by 2050, which should substantially slow temperature rises. The next decade is considered decisive and countries are urged to unveil ambitious emissions reduction?targets up to 2030 showing how they will phase out coal burning, invest in renewables, reduce deforestation and transition to electric vehicle use. With climate change continuing even while emissions are reduced, the catastrophic effects must be planned for and mitigated against. COP26 will provide the framework for countries to work together so that the most affected can prepare.

Enacting the Agreement alone will not deliver net zero. Governments, industry, and society must collaborate to change how we work, travel, heat our homes and businesses, and eat. Sustainable aquaculture is viewed as having a key role to play. Blue foods, like sustainably farmed salmon, have a significantly lower carbon footprint than animal land proteins. Indeed, Mowi salmon is the most sustainable source of animal protein on the planet. A dietary shift towards eating food from the ocean is a win-win, it’s good for people and the planet.

Mowi is proud to be leading the Blue Revolution, which aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. With COP26 promising to set the green - and blue - agenda, our Chief Sustainability Officer, Catarina Martins, and her team will be in attendance in Glasgow, where Catarina will speak at the COP26 Ocean Action Day and UN Global Compact - Blue Food events.?