(CU)_There has been mixed responses from the global community regarding the outcome of this year’s Conference of the Parties, with some claiming it was a disaster while others insist that the event has brought us one step closer to limiting to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. Sharing his views regarding the major summit, COP26 president Alok Sharma is of the view that the objectives of the summit were achieved in Glasgow, as he points out that the climate reached by the delegates is a historic agreement.

“It was the result of two years of marathon work, and a two-week sprint of negotiations, but we achieved what we wanted. We can credibly say that we kept the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels in reach,” the minister said in an article published on the Guardian. He pointed to some of the major commitments secured during the Conference in relation to “coal, cars, cash and trees”, adding that they are critical in filling in the details on how to navigate this worldwide challenge. 

In the article, Sharma also noted that the underlying goal in all these efforts is to protecting humanity from the ongoing crisis. “From outside, the negotiations may have appeared incredibly technocratic. But they were so much more than that. They were ultimately about protecting the lives and livelihoods of those on the frontline of the climate crisis. And protecting future generations who, if we fail, will be condemned to live in a dangerous, uncertain and depleted world,” he said.

Despite the challenges associated with reaching a pact which attracts the commitment of all countries, the COP26 president said there was a “genuine determination” among the nations to reach an agreement.

“Ultimately, the Glasgow climate pact is an outcome of which all parties can be proud,” he said. “The cooperation we have seen in this process should give the world hope. In a world of fractured global politics, countries have shown a unity of purpose on the issue of climate.”