A worthy Cop result – despite the failings

THERE was palpable disappointment that the final Cop26 climate pact didn’t commit more decisively to eliminating the use of fossil fuels.

Conference president Alok Sharma was visibly emotional when he had to apologise for a change in wording – insisted upon by India and backed by China – which weakened the force of the final deal.

In agreeing only to ‘phase down’, rather than ‘phase out’ the use of coal, these two high-emitting countries have undoubtedly made the goal of limiting the rise in global temperatures to 1.5C harder to hit.

But as Boris Johnson said last night, that aim is still alive. Though the final semantics were discouraging, they don’t cancel out the achievements of the past two weeks.

The world’s most powerful nations put aside their differences and came together in a genuine attempt to tackle a climate crisis that affects us all.

For the first time, there is a global pledge to slash fossil fuel burning and, over the next year, to devise a concrete plan for how the reduction will be delivered.

We must wait to see if these promises are fulfilled, but as US climate envoy John Kerry put it, the pact marks ‘a very aggressive increase in ambition’.

Yes, some nations whose economies and people are heavily reliant on coal want more time to adjust, but they have at least promised to accelerate the weaning process. And though eco-zealots may call Cop26 a sell-out and continue glueing themselves to motorways in fatuous protest, significant real-world progress has been made.

Glasgow delivered less than hoped, perhaps – but more than expected. Whether it proves to be the ‘game-changing’ event Mr Johnson wants, only time will tell.