Code red for the planet, green light for activist investors

Progress is being made on the ground

COP26 is under way, with 25,000 delegates, government ministers and heads of state attending two weeks of intense negotiations in Glasgow.

Despite a stream of stark warnings from scientists and campaigning groups, it is unlikely that countries will achieve the required breakthrough on GHG emissions. Under the surface, however, considerable progress is being made, whereby companies and activist investors can make a difference. First, the bad news: it is already clear that some outcomes will underwhelm. Some important heads of state are not attending, especially Vladimir Putin, Jair Bolsonaro and Xi Jinping. Experts are critical of the national climate action plans produced by such major greenhouse gas emitters as Br...