Why world leaders need to raise their game before COP26

WITH less than a month till the COP26 summit begins in Glasgow, world leaders need to launch a global diplomatic climate surge given that success at the big event remains hanging in the balance.

It is not even clear, at this stage, whether all the key players will turn up. Take the examples of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison who have yet to confirm their attendance, even though they will likely be in Italy for the G-20 meeting a few days earlier.

While there is much uncertainty still, the foundations for the global climate surge needed have begun to be set. This includes Joe Biden's pledge to work with Congress to quadruple the US financial commitment to help developing nations confront the climate crisis to US$11.4 billion per year from 2024. Yet, even with this new US generosity, the target for the climate fund of US$100 billion from industrialised countries to help the developing world is still an estimated US$10 billion a year short.