{"id":10168,"date":"2020-01-09T13:37:54","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T13:37:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/?p=10168"},"modified":"2026-04-18T19:34:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T19:34:31","slug":"cop26-scotlands-green-innovation-showcase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/2020\/01\/cop26-scotlands-green-innovation-showcase\/","title":{"rendered":"COP26: Scotland’s green innovation showcase"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every year since 1994, the UN has gathered together the world\u2019s governments at its\u00a0Framework Convention on Climate Change<\/a>\u00a0(UNFCCC) conference of the parties (COP), held in a different country each time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The convention\u2019s ultimate aim is to prevent \u201cdangerous\u201d human interference with the climate system. The onus is on developed countries to lead the way and the convention directs funds to developing countries to help them in their efforts.<\/p>\n

COP25<\/a>, held in Madrid at the beginning of December 2019, did not end well. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg\u2019s\u00a0solemn speech<\/a>\u00a0gave short shrift to countries neglecting their responsibilities, and the likes of the US President, Donald Trump, and Brazil\u2019s President, Jair Bolsonaro,\u00a0responded with personal attacks<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tensions ran high when climate justice activists were\u00a0barred<\/a>\u00a0from entering the venue and\u00a0talks stalled<\/a>, with negotiations ending two days late with a\u00a0compromise deal<\/a>\u00a0on cutting global carbon emissions. Given the raised status of the world\u2019s climate emergency, it was a disappointing end to a conference for which many had high hopes.<\/p>\n

In the cold light of a new year, everyone from activists to world leaders are reflecting on COP25\u2019s\u00a0ultimate failure<\/a>\u00a0to set down rules on creating a carbon market between countries. But already, behind the scenes, the UK is looking to the next summit \u2013 because this year COP26 will be pitching its tent in Glasgow.<\/p>\n

More than 30,000 people are expected to descend on the city in November 2020. For those who live and work in Glasgow it will be a chance to experience being part of an important climate action event. People from around the country will be able to participate in hundreds of events that will be happening across the city. So why will COP26 be such a big occasion for Glasgow, and what will the city itself bring to the mix?<\/p>\n

httpss:\/\/youtu.be\/VD2C_vSf4hM<\/p>\n

Why hosting COP26 is a big deal<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The world\u2019s governments have met every year for nearly three decades to (try to) agree how to stop \u2013 or at least reduce the impacts of \u2013 climate change. But the fact that these nations have not been able to meet the overall\u00a0UNFCCC objectives <\/a>is one of the reasons we now face a\u00a0global climate emergency<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As world summits go, they don\u2019t get much more important than the UN\u2019s climate change convention. In those three decades, this will be the\u00a0first time<\/a>\u00a0a COP summit has been held in the UK. From a policy perspective, COP26 will be important for at least four reasons:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. It will take place in the year when all countries are asked to submit their new long-term goals \u2013 so ambition to address the global climate emergency will be high on the agenda.<\/li>\n
  2. It will have to finish the work that COP25 was unable able to conclude \u2013 setting out the rules for a carbon market between countries.<\/li>\n
  3. From Glasgow onwards, the implementation of the\u00a02015 Paris Agreement <\/a>will be the key driver of international climate action.<\/li>\n
  4. COP26 will come just weeks after the US presidential election with the potential implications this will have for US climate policy and American participation in COP26.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Glasgow on show<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Scotland has a long and rich history of discovery and innovation, including Glasgow\u2019s past as a world-class centre of shipbuilding, trade and industrial production \u2013 a legacy that has contributed to greenhouse gas emissions but has also added much to the quality of human life. From pioneering work on the\u00a0steam engine<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0wind turbines<\/a>, to the invention of\u00a0television<\/a>\u00a0and the life-saving discoveries of\u00a0penicillin<\/a>,\u00a0gin and tonic<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Billy Connolly\u2019s shipyard humour<\/a>, Glasgow has helped shape the modern world.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a>
    \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Scottish innovations<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Glasgow and its history can also shed light on how cities, societies and people can reinvent themselves from a former industrial workhorse to a city of culture, services and new green technologies. Scotland\u2019s collective commitment to\u00a0net-zero emissions<\/a>\u00a0of all greenhouse gases by 2045 now puts the country at the forefront of real action on the climate emergency. During COP26, Glasgow\u2019s research and innovation will be on show to the world.<\/p>\n

    Engineers are leading the development of renewable technologies such as\u00a0tidal energy<\/a>\u00a0and floating\u00a0offshore wind turbines<\/a>. Scotland is at the forefront of establishing hydrogen as a viable\u00a0energy source<\/a>, providing hubs for related\u00a0skills <\/a>and\u00a0knowledge-sharing<\/a>, to ensure that new technologies can be integrated into the grid and controlled.<\/p>\n

    Scotland also leads the way not only on science innovation, but on ways in which research and development can provide\u00a0community-informed solutions<\/a>\u00a0to sea and climate change challenges, and on how climate change\u00a0relates<\/a>\u00a0to Scotland\u2019s coastline and\u00a0islands<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Researchers in Scotland are also at the forefront of the science-policy-practice interface, working with people in the field to deliver climate change\u00a0risk<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0adaptation policies<\/a>. And with climate change already a reality, Glasgow is also\u00a0producing science<\/a>\u00a0that helps communities become more prepared and resilient.<\/p>\n

    More than a political event<\/h2>\n

    Glasgow\u2019s experts and innovators will have their moment to shine at COP26 \u2013 a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with those deciding the direction and effectiveness of the global debate on climate change action. COP26 Glasgow can also be an inspirational event for Scotland\u2019s young people, the generation which will inherit both the burden of climate change and the means to address it.<\/p>\n

    As we\u00a0build up to COP26<\/a>, the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council, alongside the universities of Strathclyde, Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian, will be planning\u00a0numerous events<\/a>\u00a0that will run alongside the main COP26 activities.<\/p>\n

    The countdown has begun. Glasgow will seek to demonstrate to the world how Scottish research and innovation is playing an important role in tackling the global climate emergency.<\/p>\n

    First published by The Conversation<\/a><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    ‘Scotland also leads the way not only on science innovation, but on ways in which research and development can provide\u00a0community-informed solutions\u00a0to sea and climate change challenges…’<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":305,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[196],"tags":[452,178],"class_list":["post-10168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-environment","tag-cop26","tag-glasgow"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/305"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10168"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18713,"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10168\/revisions\/18713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sceptical.scot\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}