A Cop26 deal was always going to be messy – just look at world trade talks

A Cop26 deal was always going to be messy – just look at world trade talks

It was a messy compromise. It wasn’t nearly enough. In many respects it was a classic example of kicking the can down the road. But Cop26 wasn’t the car crash it could have been and, realistically, was always going to end in the way it did, with last-minute haggling over the text.

Why? Because achieving a climate change deal at a meeting of representatives from 197 countries was always going to be tough. While there was general agreement about the need to tackle global heating, there were big differences about how and when to do so.

Countries are at different stages of development. Some have contributed more than others to greenhouse gases in the past, while others have higher emissions now. Everybody wants the maximum amount of gain for the minimum amount of pain. Glasgow saw all these views expressed and more. Opinions differ about the optimal number of participants for a meeting but it is not 197.