The world leaders at the front of the charge to net zero – and those who have a long way to go
While many world leaders have set ambitious long-term targets to cut emissions before Cop26, it is unclear how some countries will meet their goals.
US – President Joe Biden is expected to use the summit to press countries to take steps to limit the temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. He is expected to be joined by 13 senior US officials and advisers, including his climate envoy, John Kerry.
One of his first acts upon becoming president was to rejoin the 2015 Paris Agreement and pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
In April, the White House announced a target of a 50 to 52 per cent cut in emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. But legislation is stuck in Congress.
“Glasgow has already summoned more climate ambition than the world has ever seen,” Mr Kerry said.
UK – Prime Minister Boris Johnson has voiced his concern that the summit may not be a success. But he said Cop26 must be a “turning point for humanity”.
“We’ve got to lead the world to get everybody to commit to net zero by 2050,” he said.
Alok Sharma, the UK’s Cop26 president, has urged China to be more ambitious.
He added: “China, along with every other country, needs to come forward with ambitious plans.”
UAE – This month, the Emirates became the first
Gulf country to commit to net zero by 2050.
“The major economic opportunities offered by the path to net zero directly support a vision to develop the Emirates into the most dynamic economy in the world,” the UAE government said.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, will lead the UAE delegation in Glasgow.
Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia is committed to reaching net zero by 2060.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last week launched a Middle East Green Initiative aimed at securing 39 billion riyals ($10.4bn) for an investment fund and clean energy project.
China – Arguably the most important leader expected not
to attend Cop26 in person is President Xi Jinping.
His country is by far the largest emitter in the world and responsible for more than a quarter of all carbon pollution.
In a surprise announcement in September, he said China planned to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
But plans to reach this goal have not been announced.
Meanwhile, China continues to build new coal-fired power plants, the single largest source of carbon pollution.
“In light of the domestic economic uncertainties, the country appears hesitant to embrace stronger near-term targets,” said Li Shuo, a policy adviser at Greenpeace China.
Russia – President Vladimir Putin is another high-profile leader who will not attend in person, although he plans to address the talks by video link.
He wants Russia to be carbon neutral by 2060.
Using 1990 levels as a benchmark, Moscow plans to reduce emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, a target deemed “critically insufficient” by the Climate Action Tracker.
Environment Minister Alexander Kozlov said Russia, the world’s fourth-largest emitter, will focus on its forests, nuclear and hydroelectric power.
India – The world’s thirdlargest polluter has a per capita carbon footprint far lower than the world’s other top emitters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the event in person.
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that simply announcing net-zero goals was not the solution to the climate crisis. “It is how much carbon you are going to put in the atmosphere before reaching net zero that is more important,” he said.
Brazil – President Jair Bolsonaro, who has often expressed climate-sceptic views and faced criticism for deforestation, will not attend.
But there are signs that Brazil may take on a more climate-friendly approach. The country will commit to bringing forward to 2050 from 2060 its target for net-zero gas emissions, he said.
Environment Minister Joaquim Leite, who will lead Brazil’s delegation, is expected to raise the country’s target for reducing emissions.
Australia – Prime Minister Scott Morrison will attend the Glasgow summit, but has already been criticised for apparent inaction on achieving Australia’s climate goals.
His country will not back a pledge, led by the EU and US, to cut methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
Australia has a large carbon footprint and is one of the world’s biggest exporters of coal and liquefied natural gas.
“If a wealthy country like Australia is not going to take serious action to cut emissions, then other countries will say, ‘well, why should we bother to?’” former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said.
Canada – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hopes his country can lead the “global fight against climate change”.
He has pledged to end the sale of petrol-fuelled cars and create an emissions-free power grid, both by 2035.
“Canadians understand that the economic prosperity of our country is rooted in ensuring a cleaner future for our children and grandchildren,” he said.
He has been working with the Netherlands to ensure to ensure countries “step up” to climate change pledges.
Germany – Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the summit “must provide further impetus for concrete measures” to bring global warming down to a “tolerable level”.
She has admitted that the Paris goals are ambitious, but insists they are achievable.
While Ms Merkel has billed herself as a climate-focused chancellor, she has been criticised for not taking on the powerful coal and car lobbies.
Turkey – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the event following the Turkish Parliament’s ratification of the Paris Agreement last month
France – This week, French President Emmanuel Macron urged China “to give a decisive signal by raising its level” of its climate ambition and to move firmly onwards with its transition from fuel.
South Korea – President Moon Jae-in will be attending the summit. On Monday, his country committed itself to reducing carbon emissions by 40 per cent of 2018 levels by 2030, a “very challenging target” compared to an initial goal of 26.3 per cent
New Zealand – Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will not attend. She has described action on climate change as a matter of “life or death” but has been criticised by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who accused New Zealand of being “one of the world’s worst performers” on emission increases.
UN – Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on rich economies to make good on a long-standing commitment to provide $100bn a year to help the developing world tackle the climate change threat.
“On all our climate goals, we have miles to go. And we must pick up the pace,” he said.
He said new climate pledges from some G20 nations did not inspire confidence.
“Even if recent pledges were clear and credible, and there are serious questions about some of them, we are still careening towards climate catastrophe,” he said.