Coal to be explicitly identified as climate change culprit for first time if fresh COP26 deal passes

Highlighting coal’s role in intensifying the worst effects of climate change has been retained in the latest draft agreement at the COP26 climate summit.

The draft deal, which still needs to be agreed by delegates attending the summit, urges countries to water down their reliance on coal and subsidies for fossil fuels.

It would be the first time that any final COP agreement explicitly references coal as a key driver of climate change if it is signed off.

The new draft, which is the third version of the deal, stresses that countries must rapidly expand the use of clean power and energy efficiency measures.

Countries should accelerate “efforts towards the phase-out of unabated coal power and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, recognising the need for support towards a just transition,” the draft said.

With each version of the agreement, language on fossil fuels has been watered down. In the latest iteration, countries must “support” a “just transition”.

The summit was due to finish yesterday, but sticking points remain over the text of the agreement, meaning negotiations have bled into the weekend.

It is unclear whether the latest draft deal will lead to an agreement.

Scientist say limiting global warming to 1.5C will prevent the worst effects of climate change.