Boris Johnson to return in final days of COP26 summit to urge negotiators

• Boris Johnson encouraged countries to "pull out all the stops" in the final days of the summit. 

• UK government stated that by 2040, all new heavy commercial vehicles in the country will be zero-emission.

Boris Johnson will return to Glasgow in the final days of the COP26 climate summit to urge ministers and negotiators to join together and bridge the gaps left to establish consensus at COP26.

The Prime Minister encouraged countries to "pull out all the stops" before returning to the Glasgow summit when negotiators will review a preliminary draft of a "cover decision."

He's taking the train after being chastised for traveling back by private aircraft last week after attending the summit's opening days alongside several other international leaders. 

“Negotiating teams are doing the hard yards in these final days of COP26 to turn promises into action on climate change,” Prime Minister Johnson said, in a statement.  “There’s still much to do. Today I’ll be meeting with ministers and negotiators to hear about where progress has been made and where the gaps must be bridged.”

Read more: COP26: Has global warming threat reduced one week into Glasgow meet?

Negotiators from 197 nations are working hard to reach an agreement on several key issues, including a shared time period for national commitments to reduce emissions and an agreed methodology for countries to report on their climate action. These crucial technical aspects will aid in ensuring that pledges are followed through on.

They are also aiming to get an agreement on progress on finance for the nations most exposed to climate change, as well as to address the issue of loss and damage in poor countries.

The talks are taking place amid various government and private sector pledges on coal, vehicles, cash, and trees made by the UK during its two-week chairmanship of COP26, intending to keep the 1.5C target alive.

Read more: COP26: Obama hits out on China and Russia for ‘lack of urgency’

“This is bigger than any one country and it is time for nations to put aside differences and come together for our planet and our people. We need to pull out all the stops if we’re going to keep 1.5C within our grasp,” Johnson added.

He will be joined by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as members from the heads of delegations' negotiation teams and observer organizations representing a cross-section of civil society.

Transport Day at Cop26 

The UK government announced today that all new heavy commercial trucks in the country would be zero-emission by 2040. This, together with the UK's 2030 phase-out of petrol and diesel cars and vans, constitutes a world-leading commitment to phase out the sale of all polluting road vehicles within the next two decades.

Read more: Obama cites Greta Thunberg in COP26 speech, acknowledges frustration

“We know that transport plays a key role saving the planet from warming above 1.5°C, which is why this is the COP that will kick start our ambition for zero-emission aviation,” UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said, in a statement. 

Eighteen states from across the world have also committed to working together to meet new aviation decarbonization targets, accounting for more than 40% of global aviation emissions.

Nineteen nations have also expressed their intention to promote the creation of green shipping corridors, which are zero-emission shipping routes connecting two ports.

Read more: Poor countries demand financial aid for climate damage

Twenty-eight offshore wind industry players have agreed to collaborate in order to make zero-emission operations and maintenance boats a reality in the North Sea by 2025.

Source: UK Gov.

Picture Credits: BBC