COP26: the Glasgow Climate Pact adopted – the first decision on limiting coal, with methane in the background

The COP26 climate conference in Glasgow ended on 13 November 2021 with the adoption of the Glasgow Climate Pact. For the first time in the history of COP decisions it included a call for a phase-down of the use of coal without CO₂ capture and for the phasing out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. The wording was weakened at the last minute – originally it spoke of a phase-out – after objections from some countries.

Key outcomes

• The 1.5°C goal – the parties stressed the need to limit warming to 1.5°C and recognised that this requires deep emission reductions.
• Revisiting targets – countries were asked to review and strengthen their 2030 targets by the end of 2022.
• Fossil fuels – a call to reduce coal power without CO₂ capture and to phase out inefficient subsidies.
• Carbon markets – rules under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement were agreed, opening the way to international trading in emission reductions.
• Adaptation and finance – a call to increase funds for adaptation; the promise of USD 100 billion a year for developing countries remained unfulfilled.
• Gases other than CO₂ – the text also refers to the need to reduce emissions of gases other than carbon dioxide, including methane.

Methane in Glasgow

In parallel with the formal negotiations, the Global Methane Pledge was announced (at least a 30% reduction in global methane emissions by 2030 compared with 2020). It was not part of the text agreed by all parties, but it became one of the most visible additional results of the summit. For the waste and agriculture sectors it is a signal that cutting methane is gaining the status of a political priority.

Significance for Poland and the biogas industry

For Poland, whose energy mix was still based on coal, the outcome of the negotiations meant additional pressure to move away from coal, although the "phase-down" wording was milder. Two consequences matter for the biogas industry: rising emission prices and pressure to move away from fossil fuels improve the position of renewable gases, and the emphasis on methane strengthens the case for capturing methane from waste and agriculture.

What next

The next stages are the climate summit in 2022, at which countries were to present updated targets, and the implementation of the carbon market rules. For the European Union it was important to translate the results into the "Fit for 55" package and the methane rules.

How the outcome was assessed

Reactions were divided. Supporters stressed that for the first time coal and fossil fuel subsidies appeared in the text of a decision, and that countries committed to earlier reviews of their targets. Critics pointed out that the weakening of the wording on coal and the failure to keep financial promises undermine the credibility of the process. For market participants, what mattered was that the direction of climate policy, including pressure to reduce emissions, was confirmed.