On Purpose Fellows at COP26 - with Pauline Eloi

What are you doing for COP26 and how is your organisation involved?

C40 is a network of 100 mayors from the biggest cities across the world, implementing ambitious climate policies. Our mayors went to COP to demonstrate that it is possible to deliver the Paris Agreement, that big cities are already doing it, and that national governments can - and must - now really shift from commitments to action.

What is your role in these activities?

I oversaw the internal implementation of C40's COP26 engagement strategy in the months leading up to and during COP.

Why does COP26 matter to you?

The climate crisis is a global problem that requires global, urgent, systemic change. The COP process is the biggest global gathering of people who are responsible for, or able to deliver this change and it creates the momentum for real progress to be made. The 26th edition is particularly important as nation states are meant to deliver progress that is much more ambitious than what they seem willing to commit to so far.

What are your hopes on the outcomes for COP26?

Going into COP, few climate activists dreamt bigger than "keeping 1.5 alive", i.e. maintaining our chances of mitigating climate change in the next 10 years. Whilst commitments at COP26 so far have not been enough, they have been stronger than many expected. However, as Greta would say, the true test of national governments or the private sector will be moving from the "blah blah blah" to actions.