Where Do We Stand on COP26 Climate Promises? A Progress Report

One year after COP26, progress on climate pledges is described as "mixed at best," with some advancements in renewable energy and net-zero targets countered by a resurgence in fossil fuel reliance due to the Russia-Ukraine war. While 24 countries updated their emissions targets and renewable capacity reached new heights, global fossil fuel subsidies nearly doubled in 2021. Financial commitments remain unmet, with developed nations still $17 billion short of the $100 billion annual goal for 2020. Efforts to curb methane and deforestation have seen expanded participation, but accountability for city-level net-zero pledges remains low due to a lack of reported emissions data.

• Progress on national emissions-reduction targets is varied: 24 of 194 Paris Agreement parties updated their NDCs since COP26. Australia increased its 2030 target to a 43% reduction, and the UK aimed for a 68% cut below 2010 levels, though some UK policies are under review. Conversely, Brazil's revised plan did not strengthen cuts compared to its 2016 submission.
• Renewable energy capacity grew to 295 GW in 2021, with an expected 8% increase by the end of 2022. However, the Russia-Ukraine war led several European countries to reopen coal-fired plants and increase natural gas imports to address energy shortages, while global fossil fuel subsidies nearly doubled in 2021.
• Developed nations failed to meet the 2009 commitment to mobilize $100 billion annually for developing countries, remaining $17 billion short in 2020. Adaptation finance reached $28.6 billion in 2020, which is below the goal of doubling 2019 levels to approximately $40 billion per year by 2025.
• Net-zero commitments have expanded, with seven additional countries joining since COP26, including Indonesia and South Africa. All G20 nations except Mexico now have a net-zero target. In the corporate sector, nearly 1,400 companies had committed to net-zero emissions as of September 2022.
• The Global Methane Pledge grew to include 122 countries, representing over three-quarters of the global economy and half of global methane emissions. The U.S. and E.U. launched the Global Methane Pledge Energy pathway in June 2022, supported by $59 million in funds and assistance.
• The Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use grew to 145 signatories, though India, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa remain absent. While 30 financial institutions committed to deforestation-free portfolios, the agricultural commodity traders' Roadmap of Action was still in development as of 2022.
• The Cities Race to Zero reached 1,136 signatories by September 2022, but accountability is lacking; only one-third of cities in the initiative for over a year are reporting progress, and data on actual emissions reductions is missing.

APA

World Resources Institute (2022). Where Do We Stand on COP26 Climate Promises? A Progress Report. https://www.wri.org/insights/cop26-climate-pledges-tracking-progress

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Where Do We Stand on COP26 Climate Promises? A Progress Report. 2022. https://www.wri.org/insights/cop26-climate-pledges-tracking-progress.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Where Do We Stand on COP26 Climate Promises? A Progress Report |date=13 October 2022 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/cop26-climate-pledges-tracking-progress |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2022where, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Where Do We Stand on COP26 Climate Promises? A Progress Report}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/cop26-climate-pledges-tracking-progress}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }