COP26 updates: Countries officially adopt Glasgow Climate Pact
Deep divisions still remained about the future of fossil fuels.
Leaders from nearly every country in the world have converged upon Glasgow, Scotland, for COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference that experts are touting as the most important environmental summit in history.
The conference, delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was designed as the check-in for the progress countries are making after entering the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, a value that would be disastrous to exceed, according to climate scientists. More ambitious efforts aim to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Not one country is going into COP26 on track to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, according to experts. They will need to work together to find collective solutions that will drastically cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.
"We need to move from commitments into action," Jim Harmon, chairman of the World Resources Institute, told ABC News. "The path to a better future is still possible, but time is running out."
All eyes will be on the biggest emitters: China, the U.S. and India. While China is responsible for about 26% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, more than all other developed countries combined, the cumulative emissions from the U.S. over the past century are likely twice that of China's, David Sandalow, a senior research scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, told ABC News.
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'Time has run out': Prince Charles addresses COP26
In lieu of Queen Elizabeth II, who canceled her COP26 appearance due to health risks, Prince Charles gave a speech during the conference's opening session.
Addressing the global leaders in attendance, Charles said, "I know you all carry a heavy burden on your shoulders and you do not need me to tell you that the eyes and hopes of the world are upon you."
Charles highlighted the importance of collaboration and pleaded with world leaders to come together to fight climate change.
"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the private sector is ready to play its part and to work with government to find a way forward," he said.
COP26 opening ceremony commences
After a quick greeting with Biden, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson kickstarted COP26 with opening remarks.
Johnson said that while the average age of leaders in the room was over 60, the results of the COP26 conference will be judged by the young people outside and children who are not yet born.
"If we fail they will not forgive us. They will know that Glasgow was the historic turning point when history failed to turn," Johnson said.
U.N. Secretary-General Anthony Guterres echoed the need for urgency in his remarks, highlighting the need to mitigate and reduce global emissions by 45% by 2030.
"Enough of treating nature like a toilet," Guterres said. "Enough of burning and drilling and mining our way deeper. We are digging our own graves."
ABC News' Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.
Seen at COP26: Summit provides reusable coffee cups, water bottles to attendees
Organizers of COP26, the most crucial climate conference, have gone the extra mile and placed carts for the its reusable coffee and tea cups around the venue.
China’s President Xi will not attend
The president of the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions will not be present at COP26.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has not left the country since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and will be absent from the conference. He will instead send the country’s influential climate envoy Xie Zhenhua, according to reports.
China is responsible for about 26% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, more than all other developed countries combined, according to the .
COP26 was getting next to no play in the Chinese media on Monday which has remained focused on Xi’s video statements at the G20 conference over the weekend.
-ABC News’ Karson Yiu