Five years after the Cop26 UN climate summit in Glasgow, the global political, economic and environmental landscape has shifted dramatically. The 2021 summit was seen as a high point in climate diplomacy, with countries agreeing to strive for limiting global heating to 1.5°C, setting net-zero goals, and cutting emissions. However, the plans still projected about 2.8°C of warming, and a coal phase-out commitment was weakened to a phase-down.
Since then, the world has faced the worst fossil fuel shock in decades following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the Iran war has pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel. The re-election of Donald Trump has led to the dismantling of US environmental protections, withdrawal from the Paris agreement, and a boost to coal. Populist governments globally have joined in climate denial, undermining the Glasgow agreements.
Temperatures have risen steadily, exceeding the 1.5°C threshold, while biodiversity has declined further due to plastic pollution and deforestation. The climate and biodiversity crises are putting increasing stress on the global economy, contributing to food price inflation and inequality, which in turn fuels populism and climate denial.
Despite these setbacks, there have been major advances in renewable energy technology, conservation campaigns, species preservation, and the global green economy. Species have been brought back from the brink, habitats restored, and grassroots activism has grown. The fight against climate change continues, with both challenges and progress shaping the path forward.
