Plymouth Marine Laboratory at COP26

In November 2021, the 26th annual summit of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties – COP26 – was hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy.

As delegates convened in Glasgow over the course of two weeks, PML scientists participated in, organized and facilitated numerous ocean events, as they have done for over a decade, continuing to highlight the enormous role the ocean plays in sustaining life on Earth, regulating climate and the consequences of a high CO2 world for the ocean and society.

This was be the first COP since the 2015 Paris Agreement to offer a crucial opportunity for countries to update their national plans to reduce emissions and protect the planet.

PML was a UNFCCC Observer Organisation with activities in the accredited area (Blue Zone, where negotiations take place) as well as roles in the public (green) zone, around Glasgow and online.

This includes being a founding partner of the COP26 Virtual Ocean Pavilion, which was designed to raise the visibility of the ocean and showcase why the ocean matters in climate negotiations

An important focus for PML at COP26 was on explaining the impacts of climate change to inform policy decisions needed to adapt to and mitigate climate change. This includes developing technologies and novel applications in support of addressing the climate crises, including blue carbon, offshore renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, carbon dioxide removal, and related stressors such as the impact of plastics on climate change.

Our scientists also have key roles in writing UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports which inform COP negotiations, including the for the current sixth assessment which recently published a working group report.

We have developed and contributed to briefing papers in the run up to this COP and policy roundtables as well as further activities, examples include: “Why the ocean matters in climate negotiations’: which was referenced in the recent UN Global Compact Briefing – Blueprint for a Climate-Smart Ocean to Meet 1.5°C and the “Nature-based Solutions for people climate change and biodiversity’ paper.

For COP26 the ocean transcends across the Presidency goals, from finance to energy to nature, land, resilience, industry, transport, to cities and science and innovation. It is imperative that international decision-makers and key stakeholders understand the enormous role the ocean plays in sustaining life on Earth, and the consequences of a high CO2 world for the ocean and society. To find out more about the COP26 Presidency goals around mitigation, adaptation, finance and collaboration visit: https://ukcop26.org/cop26-goals/.

‘Why the ocean matters’ – PML short film