Glasgow is home to some of the world’s most impressive architecture and its finest whiskey. The city
also has a long and proud history, marching to the beat of the industrial revolution and morphing into
a petri dish of innovation, producing the likes of John Logie Baird who invented the television. Alas,
following its post-war industrial decline, which conjured the image of a grey city in freefall, its life
was rekindled with the bright spark of its impressive cultural institutions. However, a new page in this
city’s history is being inscribed this month as a wave of 30,000 delegates is descending on Glasgow
for the UK’s presidency of COP26. Consequently, it will be host to presidents, royalty, prime
ministers, diplomats and represent a convergence of most of the world most powerful leaders. In the
shadows of the summit, will lurk the lobbyists, business people & NGO’s all hoping to add to the
debate. Consequently, COP26 marks the largest summit the UK has ever hosted and could mark a
pivotal point in combatting the climate crisis. It seems fitting for COP26 to be hosted in Glasgow,
given its Gaelic name of Glaschu, can be translated to “Green Glen”. The city will certainly be
flouting it green credentials during the summit and given its history of transformation, Glasgow is a
strong candidate to lecture about the need for a Green revolution.
The key aims of COP26 are to secure consensus on mitigating, adapting, financing and collaborating
on climate change. What this means is that COP26 will have to persuade the world to implement a
strategy of net-zero and ensure we limit global warming to 1.5 degrees (we are currently on track for
3 degrees by 2100). Therefore, this global problem is complicated as it demands the agreement of a
range of international actors, namely governments, businesses and consent from the largest polluters.
This demands statecraft and diplomacy that is near impossible to comprehend, even the likes Sir
Humphrey (a fictional character in Yes Minister) would struggle to paddle through the tides of
bureaucracy and the firefight of conflicting demands. In fact, climate summits have a long history of
withering under the intense heat of diplomatic differences and tend to have the lifespan of a Mayfly.
This being said, it is essential for the future economic outlook and health of our planet that COP26
breakthroughs the prodigious number of contested issues that make up the climate crisis. To name a
few, this includes a financial settlement of $100 billion/ per year in green investment, extending the
use of carbon markets, establishing rules for transparent climate regulation, providing help to
developing countries in adapting to new conditions and ensuring that countries commit to net 0.
However, COP26 is already on the back-foot with the presidents of both the Peoples Republic of
China and Russia refusing to attend the landmark summit. Despite this, there is still an opportunity to
grasp the reins of history, mobilising the combined strength of public and private finance in propelling
the world to a green revolution. Following on, there is truly plenty to be optimistic about. Innovations
in clean energy are improving on existing technology, hydrogen technology has at last come of age
and the crisis is waking up the ingenuity of entrepreneurs across the world. We should not halt at the
prospect of change or disruption, the world was once powered by wood, then coal and now oil. As
such, transitioning to clean energy would be a natural solution and will usher in a new chapter in our
energy history.
In summary, COP26 stands a fighting chance of tilting the world to a green, sustainable and cyclical
future. It will be challenging and will require patience, bridge building and collaboration. In the same
spirit of the momentous Paris Agreement of 2015, there is a closing window to implement real
solutions and integrate a global strategy of combating climate change. As I mentioned before, the
gallic translation Glasgow is green glen (or green valley), if this summit is successful it should be
known as helping drive us to a ‘Àm ri teachd uaine’ or ‘green future’. Glasgow could be remembered
for far more than its part in history, it has the chance of actively shaping the future.
By Henri Willmott