This year, a delegation from Penn traveled to Glasgow, Scotland to attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s Conference of Parties (COP26). This is the second time Penn has had official observer status at the crucial global conference on climate change.
While there, Penn faculty, researchers, and students had time to reflect on some of the biggest issues facing climate action. Read their insights on the role of wealthy nations, commitments to end coal use, the potential impact on cities, and more.
Anticipating COP26
Mark Alan Hughes
As COP kicks off in Glasgow this week, wealthy nations playing fair will build the trust necessary for finance provisions.
What COP26 Coal Commitments Reveal
Cornelia Colijn
COP26 delivers on long-term commitments to decarbonize through coal reductions but reveals short-term problems that global leaders face at home.
For Effective Climate Finance, Developing Countries and MDBs Lead by Example
Michael Franczak
Bankers promise trillions at COP26, but effective climate finance will not come from markets alone.
It’s Cities Day at COP26. Here’s What Your City Can Do.
Mark Alan Hughes
With a focus on national commitments at COP26, cities claim their own role in climate action.
Can Cities Fill the Gap in Climate Leadership?
Amy Montgomery
Home to more than 50% of the global population, cities are at the center of the climate crisis. Local action plays an important role in reducing overall global emissions. But recent studies find that cities, like countries, struggle to accurately measure and report their carbon emissions.
Can We Measure Successful Climate Adaptation?
Allison Lassiter
As countries take longer to cut emissions, adaptation will require more extreme measures. How will countries successfully adapt? What does successful adaptation look like? Can adaptation be quantified and tracked?