COP26: Transport Day

Review of yesterday's events

Tuesday's agenda at COP26 focused on topics of gender (how women and girls are disproportionately impacted by climate change and are leading the efforts to tackle climate change in communities around the world), and science and innovation (the current and future scientific solutions which are required to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C). Highlights included:

• Many countries and non-state actors set out gender and climate commitments as part of new momentum around the world to put gender at the forefront of climate action. Among these:
  • Canada announced that it will ensure that 80% of its $5.3 billion climate investments over the next five years target gender equality outcomes.
  • Germany announced a new gender strategy under its International Climate Initiative which will promote gender-transformative approaches in international climate and biodiversity cooperation.
  • The UK pledged £165 million in funding to address the dual challenges of gender inequality and climate change. 
  • The USA committed to invest at least $14 million of their Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund towards gender-responsive climate programming and more than $20 million towards a range of initiatives to increase women's economic opportunities around the world. 
• COP26 President, Alok Sharma, and UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for COP26, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, hosted Gender Day, accompanied by Little Amal, the 3.5 metre puppet travelling 8,000km in support of refugees. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and First Minister of the Scottish Government, Nicola Sturgeon, both spoke and highlighted the disproportionate impact that climate change has on women, with Pelosi adding that 80% of the people displaced in climate change globally are women. 
• Gender Equity Diversity Investments (GEDI) launched, which is a $100-150 million venture capital firm. The GEDI currently has a 200 person network of senior figures and experts, and aims to progress investments in line with several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs include reducing inequality within and among countries, and taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
• 47 countries have committed to building health systems that are able to withstand the impact of climate change and which are low carbon and sustainable. These include 42 countries representing over a third of global health care emissions. 12 of these 42 countries have set a deadline of 2050 or earlier by which their health system will reach net zero. 
• 23 governments announced plans for four new innovation "Missions" to catalyse technology development in the fields of net zero cities, low carbon industry, direct air capture and renewable fuels, chemicals and materials. 

On the agenda today

Today's COP26 events will be focused on Transport. Transport Day will bring together leaders from across the sector to accelerate the transition to 100% zero emissions vehicles. The hope is that Transport Day events will also help to galvanise action to decarbonise aviation and shipping. Key events will include:

• Green Shipping Corridors: Launch of the Clydebank Declaration – The Clydebank Declaration is a global initiative within the Zero-Emission Shipping Mission to encourage governments to support the establishment of decarbonised shipping routes between ports. The event will launch the declaration and start an evidence-based discussion about the next steps in establishing these green shipping corridors.  
• Accelerating the ZEV Transition: A One Way Street – Leaders representing a significant proportion of the global new car market will come together to show their commitment to a zero-emission road transport future. All involved will have committed to 100% zero emission vehicles sales by 2040 (or earlier), and the hope is that COP26 will kick start the mass market for zero emission vehicles. 
• International aviation climate ambition coalition: The Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition is a new group of states that want to meet the challenge of net zero for aviation. The coalition will be launched at COP26 with an ambitious and comprehensive declaration on aviation emissions.
• Future of International Road Freight: This event will bring together leading female voices from across the road freight landscape, including government ministers, manufacturers, operations and NGOs to galvanise a shared understanding of the action needed to ensure sales of new HGVs are zero emission by no later than 2040. 

This article was produced with the assistance of Jonathan Ford, Trainee Solicitor.