Cop26—The last chance saloon
The UN climate change conference in November must establish a central role for hydrogen, for applications from heavy mobility to heating
Over ten years ago at Cop16 in Mexico I argued that it was unlikely countries would sign up to binding limits on carbon dioxide emissions unless growth could be decoupled from the use of fossil fuels. Five years later in Paris hopes were high after the commitments made in advance by President Barack Obama and General Secretary Xi Jinping. The Paris Agreement was the landmark agreement in which nations made common cause to toughen up efforts to combat climate change. In a significant step forward, it adopted the ambitious goal of limiting the rise in average global surface temperature to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels. Since then, clear progress has been made. Most countries and near
Also in this section
4 March 2026
Turmoil in Middle East reminds nascent clean hydrogen sector that its future prospects are dependent on global energy markets and geopolitics
25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity






