Hi John,

For some, COP26 was a matter of survival. The decisions made by over 190 countries signaled the difference between life and death. As a Greenpeace supporter, we figured you may want to know more about what went down at the conference - the good, the bad and the ‘blah blah blah’. Before we get into it, we’d like to make one thing clear: there is still reason to keep up the fight—the global climate justice movement needs you now more than ever.

Read our COP wrap-up: [link removed]

If you want to know if something has succeeded, you should start by asking the people with the most to lose. In this case, that’s those already being hit hardest by climate change. We needed this COP to get us firmly on track to 1.5C to protect climate vulnerable nations, and it didn’t. [1] The only reason we got what we did is because young people, Most Affected People and Areas (MAPA) activists, Indigenous leaders, and supporters like you forced concessions that were grudgingly given.

While there was big fanfare at the beginning of the conference about stopping deforestation, world leaders effectively failed to address one of the largest drivers of forest destruction: meat and dairy consumption. [2] With forest protection on the line this year, COP26 saw strong leadership from Indigenous Peoples, including the largest Brazilian Indigenous delegation to ever attend the climate conference. [3] However, despite declarations of support from heads of state, their demands for demarcation of Indigenous land and their right to safety were largely ignored. [4] [5]

Richer nations finally began to respond to the calls of developing countries for extra funding and resources to cope with rising temperatures. [6] There was a recognition that vulnerable countries are suffering real loss and damage from the climate crisis now, but what was promised was nothing close to what’s needed—the Maldives’ top negotiator noted that “the difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees [celsius] is a death sentence for us.” [7] This issue must be at the top of the agenda for developed countries as the COP heads to Egypt next year.

In the final days of the conference, due to the work of frontline activists and Greenpeace supporters like you who sent tens of thousands of emails to UK COP President Alok Sharma, fossil fuels were included in the final agreement text for the first time ever. [8] The line on phasing down coal and phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies is extremely weak, but its existence is nevertheless a breakthrough. An important signal has been sent that the era of coal is ending—and nations will now have to come back next year with stronger commitments in order to keep temperature rise under 1.5C.

COP26 opened the gates for much more corporate and country greenwash scams of carbon offsets. Indigenous leader Sônia Guajajara again called out their hypocrisy: “A good portion of these businessmen that talk about zero carbon, are the same ones that are taking up legislative positions or are lobbying or weakening legislation at home, to facilitate access and exploitation of the environment.” [9] These offsetting scams endanger nature, further threaten the lives of Indigenous Peoples and potentially the 1.5C goal itself. [10]

Read our COP wrap-up: [link removed]

If you take away one thing from this email, please let it be this: there is power in our collective voice. There is a beacon of hope in the brilliant words and leadership of the four MAPA youth activists that sailed on the Rainbow Warrior to the steps of COP26. [11] There is strength in the hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets on a global day of action. There is a guiding light from Indigenous Peoples, who have reminded us that failure is not an option.

To continue the fight at COP27 in Egypt one year from now, we need people power in vast numbers. Together, with our collective voice, we can demand the change our planet needs. Whoever you are, no matter your background, you’re needed in this fight. So please, act now and sign up to volunteer with Greenpeace.

I'm ready to volunteer: [link removed]

In solidarity,

Miranda
Greenpeace UK

P.S. You might have heard the news last night that Nicola Sturgeon has said that the new Cambo oil field shouldn't be given the green light: [link removed] This is huge news and the result of grassroots activists and thousands of Greenpeace supporters calling for an end to new oil and gas in the UK. It's clear Boris Johnson's government now needs to act - sign the petition demanding no new oil and gas in the North Sea, and a just transition for workers: [link removed]

[1] What happened at COP26?: [link removed]
[2] COP26: World leaders promise to end deforestation by 2030: [link removed]
[3] Brazil Indigenous people tell COP26: you need us to solve climate crisis: [link removed]
[4] World Leaders Summit: Indigenous peoples and local communities should be part of announced financial mechanisms to secure land tenure in the fight against climate change: [link removed]
[5] Behind grand declarations at COP26, a long track record of failure: [link removed]
[6] COP26: Key outcomes agreed at the UN climate talks in Glasgow: [link removed]
[7] Comments from Maldives’ delegate at COP26: [link removed]
[8] COP26: Key outcomes agreed at the UN climate talks in Glasgow: [link removed]
[9] “Without Indigenous Peoples, there will be no solution to climate change”: [link removed]
[10] Carbon offsets are a scam: [link removed]
[11] As it happened: youth activists sail to Glasgow and call out world leaders as COP26 gets underway: [link removed]



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