The COP26 climate conference in Glasgow is off target for the ambitious goal of limiting temperature rises by 1.5C, according to the latest draft agreement of the negotiations.
As Boris Johnson rushes back to Glasgow in an attempt to inject some urgency into the talks many countries and campaigners now fear the conference will not produce the radical results this weekend that they have demanded.
The overnight draft of negotiations released by the COP26 president, Alok Sharma, urged countries to strengthen their 2030 greenhouse gas emissions targets by the end of next year.
It also asks them to agree to an annual talks focused on raising ambition further starting next November.
But the text refers to the Paris temperature goal, which could limit temperature rises to 2C, instead of the more ambitious Glasgow targets and comes after analysis warning current 2030 targets will leave temperatures soaring to 2.4C above pre-industrial levels.
Ed Miliband MP, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said: “The last 24 hours have been a devastating reality check on what has actually been delivered at this summit.
“We are miles from where we need to be to halve global emissions this decade.”
He called on Johnson to “take charge” of the summit and commit himself to delivering on the targets.
Miliband said: “Today, Boris Johnson needs to stop the spin and confront the reality. Given this summit will not deliver anything like what we needed, now he has to turn to plotting a path out of Glasgow that can keep 1.5 alive.
“It’s hard to avoid the suspicion that the Prime Minister sees a day trip to the Cop as a useful way of distracting from the sleaze surrounding the Tory Party rather than a chance to get a grip and engage in the substance like a statesman.?
Liberal Democrat Leader and former Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey MP said: “I fear this is more about kicking the can down the road and expectation management after a disappointing conference.
"We can have as many COPs as we like, but until the West convinces China to cut emissions more quickly, these summits will continue to fail.
“To keep the 1.5 degree target genuinely alive requires greater political will, stronger leadership and far more serious domestic and global action."
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