Ceremonial Speech Delivery by Alok Sharma, COP26 President, at COP27 as UK Representative

The 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been declared open, marking a significant milestone in the global fight against climate change. Hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12, the conference has seen unprecedented progress on coal and fossil fuel subsidies.

In his opening speech, the speaker emphasized the need for concrete action and encouraged world leaders to explain their countries' achievements and future plans. He called for accelerated progress in the remainder of the decisive decade to keep 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming within reach.

The speaker also expressed concerns about the $100 billion commitment and the need for more adaptation finance by 2025 and a post-2025 goal. He highlighted that over 90 percent of the global economy is now covered by a net zero target, and with full implementation of all commitments, emissions in 2030 are expected to be around six gigatons lower.

The system of the COP process, despite its unwieldy and frustrating nature, is delivering progress. The speaker acknowledged many individuals for their contributions to the progress made at COP26, including world leaders, ministers, civil society organizations, youth representatives, indigenous peoples, and officials.

One of the key achievements of COP26 is the fact that 29 countries have updated their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) since Glasgow, including Australia, Micronesia, India, Vanuatu, Norway, and Gabon. The biggest companies and financial institutions in the world have also committed to net zero.

However, the speaker also acknowledged the immense challenge still ahead. The current path is not keeping 1.5 degrees within reach, and he expressed concern about the recent climate disasters, such as the flooding in Pakistan, the worst flooding in Nigeria in a decade, the worst drought in 500 years in Europe, the worst on record in China, and the cascading risks they pose.

The speaker expressed support for the Egyptian team and the UK's commitment to achieving ambitious outcomes across the agenda, including on mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage. He concluded by thanking everyone for their efforts and encouraging everyone to deliver on their commitments to make it happen.

As the COP26 conference comes to a close, it is clear that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. The speaker remained hopeful about the future, looking back to the progress made before Glasgow, Paris, and Rio. The UK's Presidency ends as a demonstration that progress is possible, is happening, and is continuing.

Ceremonial Speech Delivery by Alok Sharma, COP26 President, at COP27 as UK Representative