Glasgow Brief: Australia spruiks gas, earns another fossil award as US, EU make methane pledge

After all of the buzz of the World Leaders Summit on Monday, Day 2 of COP26 in Glasgow was a more low-key affair. But that did not prevent some major agreements being reached on cutting methane emissions, cooperation on technology and commitments to halting forestry.

While negotiators burrowed away on some of the early, more technical details of the potential decisions of COP26, leaders were left to announce new commitments designed to build momentum towards a meaningful outcome from the talks.

While the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union sought to deliver on their promises to make COP26 a turning point for climate action, Australia used its pavilion at COP26 to advertise one of Australia’s largest fossil fuel producers.

US and the EU land major methane pledge

One of the most significant developments on Tuesday was the launch of a major global methane pledge, led by the United States and the European Union, with more than 100 countries – with the notable exception of Australia – joining to commit to cutting methane emissions by at least 30 per cent from 2020 levels by 2030.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential around 28-times larger than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. Methane is released through escaped gases generated from the extraction and processing of fossil gas and coal. The agriculture sector is also a major contributor.

The Global Methane Pledge was first flagged in September by the US and the EU, which both see the gas as a ‘low hanging fruit’ when it comes to tackling climate change and which is responsible for around 30 per cent of global warming observed to date.

“We cannot wait for 2050, we have to cut emissions fast,” European Commission President Ursula von de Leyen said. “Cutting back on methane emissions is one of the most effective things we can do to reduce near term global warming and keep 1.5 degrees Celsius. It is the lowest-hanging fruit.”

Joining the United States and the European Union in signing the Global Methane Pledge were Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Korea. A total of 103 countries joined the pledge representing around 50 per cent of global methane emissions.

Other key countries missing from the pledge were China and Russia.

Major agreement on ending deforestation

A group of more than 100 countries have signed on to an additional, major, commitment to halt and “reverse” deforestation by 2030.

Deforestation has been a leading accelerator of global greenhouse gas emissions through the destruction of major emissions sinks, as well as being a major global threat to biodiversity.

Australia did join this statement as a signatory, alongside Brazil, the European Union, Canada, the United Kingdom, Russia, and China – seeing the agreement cover around 85 per cent of the world’s forests.

“We therefore commit to working collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation,” the statement says.

The announcement received a mixed response from environmental groups, with some saying the commitment to effectively halt deforestation is a good outcome, but others are sceptical that the promise can be delivered and that 2030 was too late a deadline.

“There’s a very good reason Bolsonaro felt comfortable signing on to this new deal. It allows another decade of forest destruction and isn’t binding,” Greenpeace Brazil executive director Carolina Pasquali said.

Australia spruiks fossil fuel industries

While the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom were focused on securing major commitments on methane, forestry and technology cooperation, federal energy and emissions reduction minister Angus Taylor re-launched the Morrison government’s Technology Investment Roadmap – released locally less than a week ago.

The first announcement following the re-launch of the roadmap? Support funding for a major new fossil gas development.

Significantly, Australia’s pavilion in Glasgow was used to announce that a carbon capture and storage project at the Moomba gas hub in South Australia, a joint venture between gas producers Santos and Beach Energy, would be registered to be issued carbon offsets under the Emissions Reduction Fund. The project has previously received $15 million in federal government funding.

Santos took full advantage of the opportunity to spruik its business inside the COP26 venue.

Projects like Santos’ gas hub are a significant source of methane emissions – which escapes as the gas is processed and transported. It perhaps might give some insight into perhaps why Australia was not so keen on the methane pledge.

Australia goes two-for-two with its second ‘fossil of the day’ award

Australia’s promotion of its fossil fuel industries saw it given its second ‘fossil of the day’ award from environment groups at COP26.

“So called “Emissions Reductions Ringmaster” Angus Taylor came to COP only to be unmasked as a vaudevillian mastermind selling Australian fossil fuels and our future down the toilet” the Climate Action Network said.

“This morning he held a joint press conference in the Australian pavilion – with Santos, your friendly neighbourhood gas company to talk CCS with a majestic model of how they are going to bury emissions in their own backyard.”

Australia also received a ‘fossil of the day’ award yesterday for weak climate targets and the approval of new coal mines.

The award as shared with Norway, for likewise promoting its fossil fuel industries at COP26 and Japan for failing to agree to transition away from coal power.

UNFCCC apologises for major logistics challenges

Challenges for delegates on the ground in Glasgow in accessing the negotiations spilled over into a third day.

Attempts to control numbers in the COP26 venues to manage Covid-19 protocols have caused significant delays to delegates attempting to gain access to venues, with significantly restricted capacity limits causing long lines and waits in cold Glasgow weather.

The UNFCCC, the UN body overseeing the negotiations, issued a call for “understanding” on Tuesday with civil society delegates expressing frustration about being kept out of part of the talks.

“In many ways, the first few days of the COP26 have been a learning process, with participants and staff getting used to the pandemic-related logistical measures and circumstances, and we are doing our utmost to continuously learn and adapt,” the UNFCCC said.

“We sincerely ask participants to allow for sufficient time to access to the venue. In the case of inclement weather, please come prepared with appropriate gear.”