The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference – known as COP26 – has seen delegates from around the world gather to set out the path for achieving the Paris Agreement. Agreed in 2015, the Agreement sets out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C. Without action now, the world may miss this target, endangering life on Earth.
PES President Sergei Stanishev said:
“European socialists and democrats were a key factor in the Paris Agreement 6 years ago. Today the COP26 has been an important steppingstone, for people and planet. I'm very proud that the European Social Democratic family, Executive Vice-President of the Commission, Frans Timmermans, the S&D Group, other European Commissioners were instrumental for the European Green Deal, which put the European Union at the lead in the efforts to save our planet."
(Check the whole statement of the PES President here)
In Glasgow PES government ministers, party leaders, representatives from the European Commission, members of national parliaments, members of the European parliament, and figures from the wider progressive family met on Wednesday 10 November. The reception – Progressives for climate action – took stock of the negotiating progress at the COP26 so far. Socialist and social democrats are uniquely placed in terms of fighting for a Just Transition – the world will only achieve climate justice, if we also achieve social justice, the meeting agreed.
Watch the key interventions from Progressives for climate action reception, featuring Head of Cabinet of European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, Diederik Samsom, German State Secretary for the Environment Jochen Flasbarth, Maltese environment minister Aaron Farrugia, President of PS Belgium and Mayor of Charleroi Paul Magnette, Deputy-Mayor of Budapest and Vice-President of the PES Group in the Committee of the Regions Kata Tutto, Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar, Welsh Assembly Member Jenny Rathbone, and Reykjavik mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson, PES Deputy Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck and many others.
