Cop26 Glasgow news live: Nations unveil plan to end coal as emissions set to bounce back to pre-Covid levels

Boris Johnson has been accused of “staggering hypocrsiy” after he was said to have flown back to London from the Cop26 summit to attend a dinner with former Daily Telegraph editor Charles Moore.

The PM apparently left the conference in Glasgow at 6.20pm and arrived at London Stansted at 7.16pm, before heading to the private men-only Garrick Club for a dinner for former Telegraph journalists.

The fashion of Mr Johnson’s exit was criticised as “staggering hypocrisy” by Labour chair Anneliese Dodds, after the PM opened the summit by imploring delegates to stop “quilting the Earth in an invisible and suffocating blanket of CO2”.

Ms Dodds said: “This is staggering hypocrisy from the Prime Minister. After warning world leaders it’s one minute to midnight to prevent climate catastrophe, Boris Johnson clocked off from Cop26, jumped in his private jet and flew down to London for dinner at a gentleman’s club with a self-confessed climate change sceptic.

“It seems that when it comes to taking action to tackle the climate crisis, there’s one rule for the Conservatives and another rule for the rest of the world.”

A Downing St source said Mr Johnson had always been due to leave Glasgow on Tuesday evening, as the element of the summit involving world leaders drew to a close.

US climate envoy John Kerry has said that the Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow have more energy and focus than previous rounds of climate negotiations – in part due to the strong presence and support of the private sector.

“I think we are going to have the greatest increase in ambition we’ve ever had, we probably do in these first 36 hours, and the real issue is going to be follow-up, working with them,” Mr Kerry said on Wednesday.

His comments came as the UK called on the world’s financial industry to channel major funds towards greener investments to help tackle the climate crisis.

Boris Johnson has said that the success or failure of the Cop26 climate summit is a “question of will” as the world waits on the outcome of negotiations between major leaders.

The prime minister said on Wednesday that people could “take heart” from what has been achieved so far at the conference in Glasgow, but warned that whether the planet can avoid climate disaster “still hangs in the balance”.

Our reporter, August Graham, has the full story below:

Companies that have been told to disclose how they intend to reach climate change targets such as net-zero emissions by 2050 will not face sanctions if they refuse to do so, business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has admitted.

The government announced on Wednesday that most big UK firms and financial institutions would be forced to show how they plan to decarbonise under proposed Treasury rules.

However, Mr Kwarteng told ITV’s Robert Peston: “Well in the first instance, what we’re doing is trying to make them commit publicly to a method of getting there.

“As of now, there aren’t any government-imposed sanctions but… investors will judge those companies, investors are already judging companies on their commitments to decarbonise and there will be a premium, I’m sure, on companies that do disclose a path to net-zero by 2050 against those who don’t.”

You can find his comments in full below:

The Kremlin has rejected US president Joe Biden’s criticism of Russia’s Vladimir Putin for not attending Cop26, arguing that the country is taking a “very responsible stance” on the climate crisis.

The US president said on Tuesday that Mr Putin had “serious, serious climate problems” but added that the Russian leader had gone silent on the “willingness to do anything”.

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow did not agree with Mr Biden’s characterisation as the Russian delegation at Cop26 had actively participated in the summit.

“Russia’s climate action does not have the goal of being pegged to an event,” Mr Peskov said.

“Of course, we are not belittling the significance of the event in Glasgow, but Russia’s actions are consistent, serious and well-thought-through.”

He added: “Let’s not forget that forests are burning in California, and in Turkey, and in other countries.

“These are the consequences of climate change we’re facing, and Russia, to some extent, is facing more serious challenges.”

The rebound in global CO2 emissions following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic has been “bigger than expected”, scientists have warned.

An assessment by the Global Carbon Project found that a return to carbon-heavy industry and investment in 2021 meant that fossil fuel emissions were expected to rise by 4.9 per cent this year following 12 months of lockdowns and a decrease in economic activity.

Our climate correspondent, Daisy Dunne, has the full story below:

ICYMI: Our reporter, Harry Cockburn, has rounded-up the key achievements and agreements from Cop26 so far – including pledges to end deforestation and India’s commitment to hit net-zero by 2070.

You can find the full piece below:

Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney has admitted that companies which have aligned themselves to the Paris Agreement of limiting global warming to 1.5C will not be prohibited from investing in fossil fuels.

When questioned on the continued investment in fossil fuel companies, Mr Carney told Sky News: “There is not a green switch that we can flip this afternoon and move from being economies where 4/5ths of global energy is supplied by fossil fuels today and overnight be 100 per cent supplied by renewables.”

You can find his comments in full below:

Labour’s shadow business secretary Ed Miliband has warned of “glaring gaps” in the government’s coal-fired power pledge, such as a lack of commitment from China and other large emitters to stop increasing coal use at home.

“Whether it’s flirting with a new coal mine or licensing a massive oil field here at home, too often the government has been looking both ways on climate,” Mr Miliband said.

“Rather than driving the ambition we need, as Cop president it has let others off the hook.”

Meanwhile, Juan Pablo Osornio, head of Greenpeace’s delegation at Cop26, said that the commitment was “significant” but warned more needed to be done on phasing out fossil fuels.

“Overall this statement still falls well short of the ambition needed on fossil fuels in this critical decade,” he said.

“The small print seemingly gives countries enormous leeway to pick their own phaseout date, despite the shiny headline.”

A group of 190 countries and organisations will agree to commit to the end of coal power at the Cop26 climate summit, the UK government has announced.

Coal-fired power is the single largest driver of global temperature increases, meaning that ending its use will be crucial for limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

Our climate correspondent, Daisy Dunne, has the full story below: