This is how the Glasgow agreement is negotiated against the clock

Glasgow woke up this Friday under a blanket of clouds, a frigid air and a rain that envelops everything. After a few days of relative good weather, where the sun has even appeared at times, the Scottish city has recovered its most usual climate and it has been dyed an absolute gray again. This is the scenario where this Friday the final stretch of the negotiations of the Climate Summit (COP26); a key debate for the future of humanity and the planet.

Only a few hours to go for governments around the world to present the commitment that, after two weeks of intense debate, they have agreed to tackle the climate crisis. The text that collects the agreements, promises and duties in climatic matters it is currently going through the umpteenth scrutiny of ministers of environment, delegates and experts sent by the countries. There are still many fringes that need to be polished. And as several spokespersons from around the world announced this afternoon during the general plenary, right now there are still those who are sending notes to clarify, expand or change the final statement.

According to sources close to the negotiations to this newspaper, it has been days since the different working groups they start very early and they last until dawn. The discussion table still discusses everything from extremely technical issues to commitments that could shape the future of millions of people around the world, such as the calendar to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or the pact to help the global south. to face the scourge of crisis. In both cases, the future of these agreements is a matter of language. At the moment, in fact, the revision of the text is mainly focused on polishing the words. Add nuances. Change a ‘must’ (which implies the obligatory nature of a measure) for a ‘should’ (which extends, perhaps too much, the room for maneuver for countries).

Between tequila and vodka

The presidency of this Summit, led by the British Alok Sharma, had promised on more than one occasion that the final agreement would be published this Friday afternoon. Ideally around six, just for tea time. But this afternoon, after the end of the plenary, Sharma announced a change of plans. It is expected that a final draft of the agreement will be published late in the afternoon, which, in turn, will be discussed by the governments in a Extraordinary meeting that could last until after midnight. Once the discussion is over, the final text will be voted on by the government delegates and, if it receives unanimous support, it will be definitively approved. The final announcement could come between this morning and Saturday.

Just a few days ago, in another of those sessions that last until late at night, the Mexican delegation promised to give away bottles of tequila to the organizers of the event if they managed to close a commitment this Friday. The Russians, who are not joking about alcohol either, raised the ante by promising bottles of their most precious vodka if the final statement was released before the evening. Now that we know that the statement will arrive later than agreed, it remains to be seen what will happen to all that alcohol.

The corridors of the Glasgow Summit now breathe a different air. The atmosphere is fraught with tension. There are a frenzy of government delegates, which, unlike the other attendees, stand out for their fine suits and purple accreditation. Impossible to know what is happening in the closed-door discussions where they are headed. Of course, seeing what happens outside, everything indicates that the final sprint is being more than intense. In the only supermarket present on the premises, for example, the energy drinks they were sold out shortly after noon. In bars, bartenders try to collect as many reusable cups as they can because, unlike other days, coffee is flying faster than usual today.

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Legend has it, or rather experience, that the success of the Climate Summits depends on how good the logistics of the event were. The better the organization, the better the result. The greater the convenience of the facilities, the better the communication between the parties. The easier it is for delegates to do their job, the better the agreements. If the premise is confirmed, Glasgow will have it frankly difficult to succeed. In these weeks, in fact, there are many who have pointed out that the gear of this event has not finished working. Partly for purely logistical reasons. And partly because, of course, organizing an event of this magnitude in times of a pandemic is mission impossible.