A guide to all the groups, pledges, acronyms and alliances at COP26

The document outlines a wide array of climate alliances and financial initiatives at COP26, noting that while these represent increased corporate and government engagement, the high volume of overlapping groups has created confusion and concerns regarding transparency and the actual substance of the pledges.

• The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) serves as an umbrella organization for the finance industry, including banks, insurers, and asset managers, representing over $130 trillion in assets. This group faces pressure to address a projected requirement for $100 trillion in climate finance over the coming 30 years.
• Several specialized financial and technology initiatives were introduced, including the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to standardize climate risk and sustainability reporting, the Taskforce on Scaling up Voluntary Carbon Markets (TSVCM) to increase private investment in carbon offset credits, and the U.S.-led 'First Movers Coalition' (FMC) to drive R&D for climate technologies.
• Various energy-specific pledges were announced, such as the 'Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance' (BOGA) focused on ending new oil and gas permits and winding down production, and the Asian Development Bank's Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM), which seeks to accelerate coal retirement in southeast Asia by purchasing coal assets.
• Critics and observers expressed concern that the proliferation of alliances at COP26 creates confusion and may lack substance. Some environmental groups described the pledges as 'eye candy' and 'empty calories,' while Greenpeace suggested the UK's communications strategy was designed to reduce transparency and hinder scrutiny.

APA

Volcovici, S. J. K. D. V. (2021). A guide to all the groups, pledges, acronyms and alliances at COP26. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/cop26-alliances-treaties-climate-change-action/

Chicago

Volcovici, Simon Jessop, Katy Daigle, Valerie. A guide to all the groups, pledges, acronyms and alliances at COP26. World Economic Forum, 2021. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/cop26-alliances-treaties-climate-change-action/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Volcovici |first1=Simon Jessop, Katy Daigle, Valerie |title=A guide to all the groups, pledges, acronyms and alliances at COP26 |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=12 November 2021 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/cop26-alliances-treaties-climate-change-action/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{volcovici2021guide, author = {Volcovici, Simon Jessop, Katy Daigle, Valerie}, title = {{A guide to all the groups, pledges, acronyms and alliances at COP26}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2021}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/cop26-alliances-treaties-climate-change-action/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }