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COP26 latest: 'We still have a mountain to climb', says chair as clock ticks to strike cover deal

Climate activist Vanessa Nakate, second right, and other activists engage in a 'Show US The Money' protest at  COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.
Climate activist Vanessa Nakate, second right, and other activists engage in a 'Show US The Money' protest at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Copyright  AP Photo
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By Euronews
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The UN climate conference turns its focus to the impacts of climate change on women and girls as the clock ticks to strike an overarching deal to limit global warming. Follow our live updates.

The clock is ticking at the UN climate summit, with only a few days left to strike a deal that will help limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“We still have a mountain to climb,” said COP26 chairman Alok Sharma, while acknowledging "progress" in the negotiations.

Here is everything you need to know as Day 9 gets underway at COP26:

  • Today is Gender Day at COP26 and the summit is turning its focus to gender-sensitive climate policies. 80 per cent of people displaced by climate change are women and children, according to UNFCC.

  • The UK presidency will publish a first draft of the summit's cover decision overnight, Sharma said. New texts have been tabled on time frames, transparency, finance and adaptation.

  • Meanwhile, the hard work continues in negotiation rooms**. Teams of two ministers** — one from a rich country, one from a poor — have been assigned to oversee negotiations on each topic that will form part of COP26's cover deal, the UK Presidency said on Monday.

  • Climate Action Tracker, a think tank, released new forecasts saying current climate policies put us on track to 2.7C degree warming — or 2.4C if all governments met their 2030 targets.

"Assuming all countries implement everything they have proposed here, we would in 2030 still emit twice as much as what we should if we want to be on a 1.5C trajectory," said Professor Niklas Hohne of the New Climate Institute at a press conference.

  • South Korea became the latest country to backtrack on its pledge to phase out coal by 2030, just days after signing it.

Follow our live updates:

If you weren't able to follow along on Monday, here are five takeaways from Day 8, including an impassioned speech by former US President Barack Obama.

Live ended

Rich nations pledge $413m to Least Developed Countries Fund

12 countries have pledged $413 million (€355 million) in new funding for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), the Global Environment Facility said on Monday. 


“The LDCF has a special place in the hearts of Least Developed Countries, as it is the only climate change adaptation fund that is designed to meet our unique needs and priorities. We are 46 of the world’s most vulnerable countries, and the science indicates that our climate risk exposure will only increase,” said Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi, Chair of the LDC Group at the UN climate negotiations.


“Support from the LDCF enables us to take action and prepare for trouble ahead. We are pleased about the generous new contributions to the LDCF announced today and sincerely hope that additional donors will follow suit given how meaningful this source of support is to us,” Wangdi



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Climate Action Tracker: We're on track to 2.4C warming if all governments meet their 2030 targets 

Climate Action Tracker, a think tank, said at a press conference that current climate policies put us on track to 2.7C degree warming — or 2.4C if all governments met their 2030 targets. 
"Assuming all countries implement everything they have proposed here, we would in 2030 still emit twice as much as what we should if we want to be on a 1.5C trajectory," said Professor Niklas Hohne of the New Climate Institute. 
He recommended that the global community goes "in emergency mode", with reviews of COP's targets each year rather than every 5 years. 
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COP26 Presidency to publish first draft of cover decision overnight 

COP26 chairman Alok Sharma said at a press conference that the UK presidency will publish a first draft of the summit's cover decision overnight. 
He said that while there was "progress" in the negotiations, "we still have a mountain to climb over the next few days."
Sharma added that new texts were tabled on time frames, transparency,  finance and adaptation -- which have so far been among the sticking points in the negotiations. 
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Climate Action Tracker to release new global warming forecast

Climate Action Tracker, a think-tank, will release its forecast of how much global warming the world should prepare for at 3pmCET /2pm GMT. 
Follow it live: 
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Austrian minister takes 27-hour train ride to COP26

Austria's minister for climate protection, technology and innovation Leonore Gewessler took a 27-hour journey by sleeper train from Vienna to Brussels, and then on to Glasgow for COP26. 
FILE - Austria's minister for climate protection, technology and innovation Leonore Gewessler speaks during a news conference behind plexiglass shields at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Friday, April 30, 2021. AP

Many senior politicians, including Boris Johnson, have faced criticism for flying to a summit that's all about cutting greenhouse gas emissions.


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Climate activists mobilise against drilling project in Scotland 

Environmental groups are pressing the UK not to approve drilling in an undersea oilfield north of Scotland. 


They say it threatens marine species and will add to global warming.


Siccar Point Energy, in which oil company Shell has a stake, wants to extract oil from the Cambo field, west of the Shetland Islands.


A collection of 16 marine protection and climate groups, including Greenpeace UK, WWF UK, the Marine Conservation Society and Friends of the Earth, are urging the British government to refuse the application.


The Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide says pipelines to export oil from the area could jeopardize hundreds of species, including rare deep-sea sponges, known and ocean quahogs, a type of clam, in a part of the ocean designated a Marine Protected Area.


Plans for new oil extraction and a proposed new coal mine in northern England are overshadowing UK government efforts to persuade other countries to take stronger action to cut carbon emissions at COP26


The British government says UK oil and gas regulators will make the decision, after an environmental impact assessment and a public consultation.


With AP


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Greenpeace sues Volkswagen for failure to act on climate change 

Greenpeace says it filed a lawsuit in Germany against Volkswagen,  alleging that the automaker has failed to do its part to fulfil the goal of limiting global warming.


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Washington Post investigation finds greenhouse gas emissions vastly underestimated

"An examination of 196 country reports reveals a giant gap between what nations declare their emissions to be versus the greenhouse gases they are sending into the atmosphere," a Washington Post investigation found. 
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US Congressional Delegation has arrived at COP26

A US congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has arrived in Glasgow. 


Among them is celebrity politician US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She told reporters her chief hope is to see the United States re-establish itself as a world leader in cutting climate-damaging fossil fuel pollution.


Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, front, and US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, second left, and other US politicians prepare for a group photo after arriving at the venue of the COP26.

Asked if she had a message to young activists who have instrumental in pressing governments to cut climate-damaging fossil fuel pollution, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters inside the conference site: “Well, I would say, ‘Stay in the streets. Keep pushing.’”


With AP


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'Climate change is sexist,' says US envoy

"Climate change is sexist," said US Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, Environment, and Science Monica Medina as COP26 marked Gender Day. 
"The climate future is female," she insisted. "Now let's get to work."
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Little Amal puppet brings 'seeds of hope' to COP26 

Little Amal, the puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian girl, opened COP26's lead event on Gender Equality. 
Samoan activist Brianna Fruean introduced Amal saying she was there to "represent all girls who could not be here," but also "work and fight so all little girls inherit the world that they deserve."
"Amal brought seeds with her today to physically share, to inspire, to represent hope," the young activist said. 
"I hope you remember that these seeds will not grow without work," she added. 
At the same event, COP26 President Alok Sharma recalled that women and girls were disproportionately impacted by climate change.
"We must empower women and girls to make the change," he said, urging "every single country to implement the plan" on gender adopted at COP25 in Madrid last year. 
Sharma also outlined a new initiative by the UK govt to "use climate finance to empower women and girls."
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Little Amal puppet arrives at COP26

Little Amal is attending today's cover event for COP26 Gender Day. 
Watch it live here: 
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Watch live: COP26 Presidency Event on Gender Equality

Today's cover event for COP26 Gender Day starts now. 
It will "bring together Ministers, civil society, business leaders and activists, and will drive progress through the announcement of new and strengthened commitments," organisers said. 
"This event will showcase some of the best and brightest examples of gender equality in climate action, sending a message that the time for gender-responsive implementation is now," they added.
Watch the event live here: 




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Watch: The devastating effects of fact fashion

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Are women and girls given enough attention in climate policies?
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Extinction Rebellion stages protest at Australian bank

Extinction Rebellion activist climbed the Sydney offices of Australian bank NAB on Tuesday to protest against the firm's investment in fossil fuels.
The activists were eventually arrested by police after spray painting around the logo to read "don't 'nab' our future."
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Little Amal puppet to visit COP26 

A 3.5m puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee known as Little Amal is due to visit COP26 today. 


Amal has travelled through much of Europe after setting off from the Turkish-Syrian border in July and has been greeted by thousands of people along the way, including Pope Francis in Rome.


Little Amal was created by Handspring, the company that made the equine puppets for hit West End and Broadway theatre show "War Horse."


The puppet was designed as part of The Walk, a travelling festival of art and hope to raise awareness of the problems faced by young migrants.


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South Korea backtracks on pledge to phase out coal

South Korea became the latest country to backtrack on its pledge to phase out coal by 2030 just days after signing it.
"We support accelerating the transition to clean power, but we never agreed to a date for the transition away from coal," said the country's energy ministry, which reiterated a 2050 coal exit. 
The move has sparked criticism from environmental activists. 
"The Korean government has lost its climate credibility by signing on to a momentous global pledge and then quietly backpedaling at home," reacted Korean NGO Solutions for our Climate. 
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Today is Gender Day at COP26

The UN climate summit turns its focus to gender-sensitive climate policies this Tuesday. 
80% of people displaced by climate change are women and children, according to UNFCC.
"Women commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change in situations of poverty, and the majority of the world’s poor are women," the agency says. 
" Women’s unequal participation in decision-making processes and labour markets compound inequalities and often prevent women from fully contributing to climate-related planning, policy-making and implementation."
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Good morning and welcome back to our COP26 live blog!
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