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Intro >
I have always loved the United Nations. We are all people of one planet and I believe that in order to overcome the challenges facing humanity, we need a unified governing body to guide the decisions we make. To me, this is what the UN represents and while it may not be perfect, it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.

Begins >
Oct 31st - The Glasgow Climate Change Conference (#COP26) opened today, the biggest climate change conference since the landmark talks in Paris in 2015.  Heralded as one of the most important climate events of the decade – global emissions must plummet if we are to avoid catastrophic impacts and the decisions taken here will determine so much!

	There is a lot on the agenda. As always, cutting emissions of greenhouse gases and adaptation are central to the talks. Mobilising finance is top of the list as a key element of the Paris Agreement to ensure that $100bn per year is set aside for climate finance, a target that we are falling short on. There is also unfinished business about the ‘Paris Rulebook’, the detailed rules and procedures for implementing the Paris Agreement. There is much to be discussed about the proposed carbon market mechanism, and how to address ‘loss and damage’ from climate change.

	Nov 1st - The World Leaders Summit began today, where more than 100 presidents, prime ministers and heads of government gathered to discuss the fragile state of our future. As the climate crisis looms, urgent and decisive action is needed but the question remains - when will leaders lead?

	In a heartfelt statement, Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, said that the pandemic has taught us that national solutions to global problems do not work and that the failure to act on the climate crisis is not only immoral, but unjust.

	“How many more voices and how many more pictures of people must we see on these screens, are we so blinded and hardened that we can no longer appreciate the cries of humanity? For those who have eyes to see, for those who have ears to listen, and for those who have a heart to feel, 1.5C is what we need to survive.” Code red. Code red!

	She is absolutely right. It’s a hard truth to swallow but the world we witness today reflects its leadership, or rather, the lack of leadership. Biodiversity loss, rising sea levels, climate change, pollution, poverty, disease, inequality, war, all these afflictions are a mirror reflecting the choices made by those that wield power.

	As Sir David Attenborough said, “This story is one of inequality as well as instability. Today those who have done the least to cause this problem are among those to be hardest hit. Ultimately, all of us will feel the impact, some of which is unavoidable. Is this how our story is due to end? A tale of the smartest species doomed by that all too human characteristic of failing to see the bigger picture in pursuit of short-term goals?”

	It’s time.. It’s time for radical change. It’s time for new, decisive, and proactive leadership. It’s time to change our story and to write it better! One that promotes equality, justice and compassion for all the living creatures of this planet.

	Nov 3rd - For the past two days, I have been assigned to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, here at COP26. I have gone where he has gone, been present as he speaks with presidents and prime ministers, and have been tasked with photographically documenting his efforts to turn this climate crisis around. It has been absolutely non-stop but so incredible to see how he operates, to hear how he speaks, and to see how he engages with the leaders of the world.
	This alone would have been an honour for me, but last night as we wrapped up his final meeting, his team of staff suggested that he take a photo with me! So here we are, the UN Secretary-General and me (picture page top left). 

	It is such an honour to work with the UNClimateChange team. There is no doubt that I have the best job in the world!

A Crazy Few Days!
I’m not going to lie, it’s been a crazy few days here in Glasgow. In just 48 hours I have photographed more than a hundred presidents, heads of state and high profile figures, covered more than a dozen high-level sessions, and sat in countless bilateral meetings witnessing the leaders of the world discuss the future of our planet. I’ve also run more than 25km, slept less than 9 hours, and have had about one full meal (protein bars don’t count!). And I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

	So what’s it like to spend the day with the presidents of the world? In a single word – intense. There is an enormous amount of pressure and protocol and security. You can feel the power in the room, the way it ebbs and flows, palpable almost. There are no breaks, no moments to spare, and you cannot be off your game. It is also fascinating to listen to what is being discussed, to hear the thoughts of so many different people from so many different parts of the world, and to see diplomacy in action.

	But I also reflected on how normal it all felt – despite their high-level status, this was just another group of people, with the same complexities and characteristics that we all have. It reminded me that we are all just people – the climate crisis needs all of us and we all have a role to play. We are all leaders in our own right and capacity.

	It is an enormous privilege for me to be in this space, not only to witness the decisions being made, but to document this momentous time in our history.

	Nov 4th - Energy is central to discussions about the climate crisis. As IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee said, 

“Our climate challenge is a shared global challenge – and it is largely an energy challenge.”

	Globally, the use of energy represents by far the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities – about two thirds of all emissions are linked to the burning of fossil fuels for energy used for heating, electricity, transport and industry.

	A shift towards clean, renewable energy sources is essential. It’s important to realise that this transition doesn’t only have the benefit of being ‘green’ – clean energy is a growing sector that helps to create jobs, makes electric grids more resilient, expands energy access in developing countries, helps to lower energy costs for the consumer, and contributes to improving public health.

	Nov 5th - Let’s get real: the way things stand, the future is not looking good. Climate change has increased levels of uncertainty – both environmentally and socially - and the people who are going to inherit this mess are the young people of today and our future generations. The world is home to 1.8 billion young people and they are increasingly aware of the challenges and risks presented by the climate crisis – it is not climate anxiety, it is climate reality.

	Today was Youth Day at COP26 and while more than 10,000 young people demonstrated on the streets of Glasgow calling for a better future, inside the negotiating halls youth representatives were pushing negotiators to take this seriously.

	I have been involved in youth activism for a long time and one of the things that always inspires me is the sharpness of the minds within these spaces. The youth of today are smart, they understand the issues at hand, they have ideas and opinions for how to effect change, they are organised, and they are taking action in their own communities. They are the ones leading.

	As Greta Thunberg said “Build back better. Blah, blah, blah. Green economy. Blah blah blah. Net zero by 2050. Blah, blah, blah… This is all we hear from our so-called leaders. Words that sound great but so far have not led to real action. Our hopes and ambitions drown in their empty promises.” And she is right.

	What kind of a future are we going to leave for our children? When are we going to acknowledge that if we don’t take real action now, we will betray the future of humankind? We need to change our story and we need to do it fast. Young people are leading the way – and we need to follow.

	Nov 6th - Today at COP26, nature came into focus, specifically looking at forests, land-use change and agriculture. There are some huge challenges that we face. Deforestation remains a pressing issue, with around 2.47 million trees cut down every day. Our food systems are also highly problematic, with agriculture contributing up 8.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions. If we don’t act soon, food security is going to become a major problem for all of us and radical change is needed to the way we grow and consume food.

	As many of you know, agriculture is a topic very close to my heart. I have lectured in agriculture for many years, helping to train extension officers in South Africa, and I also tell stories of innovative agricultural projects that support sustainable development. One of the things that we focus on is placing the farmer in the centre of development, building human capacity and helping to better understand the systems that we need to work within.

	One of the best ways of tackling the climate crisis is to focus on nature-based solutions - working with nature to address societal challenges, providing benefits for both human well-being and biodiversity. Specifically, they are actions that involve the protection, restoration or management of ecosystems, and the sustainable management of aquatic systems and land, underpinned by biodiversity and designed and implemented with the full engagement and consent of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.

	Unsustainable human activities are destroying the natural world, but nature itself is our greatest ally. As UN Ambassador Idris Elba said, “we need to make agriculture sexy again” and with him at the helm, maybe we have a chance (his wife Sabrina Elba agrees!).

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	Nov 9 - To kick off the second week of #COP26, Obama arrived to inspire us into action once again. With an hour-long lecture in plenary, he reminded us that even though progress has been made, we are still falling short – collectively and individually – to address the climate crisis.

	A critically important issue is that of ‘loss and damage’. Many of the impacts of climate change are now unavoidable, which is why we need to focus on adaptation, but even this has its limits. The inevitable consequences of human-induced climate change have collectively become known as ‘loss and damage’. Loss refers to the things that are lost forever and cannot be brought back, such as human lives or species loss, while damage refers to things that are damaged but can be repaired, such as roads and infrastructure.

	In the negotiations, which are now the real focus for the remaining days of the meeting, loss and damage has been a contentious issue.

	Climate vulnerable countries, such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), argue that they are affected by climate change beyond their capacity and that a funding mechanism needs to be established to offer support. It’s difficult to say how much funding will be needed – some studies estimate the toll could be as high as $580 billion in economic losses annually by the end of the decade – but many believe these global costs should be borne in proportion to how much each nation has polluted. The US announced that they would make $50 million for adaptation, but the truth is, this is still not enough. We need all countries on board, with stronger commitments, and indeed, a lot more money.

	There are only a few days. As Obama said, ‘we cannot afford hopelessness’and instead, we need to muster the will, passion, and activism of citizens, especially youth, to push governments and companies to meet the climate challenge.

“When women succeed, the world succeeds,” said Nancy Pelosi also today at COP26. With gender coming into focus, a high-level panel of powerful women took the stage, sharing stories of the invaluable contribution that women make to ensuring the stability and sustainability of the world.

	The truth is that women are distinctly more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, not only because they represent the majority of the world’s poor, but also because they are more dependent on threatened natural resources. Worldwide, women have less access than men to resources such as land, credit, agricultural inputs, decision-making structures, technology, and training that would enhance their capacity to adapt to climate change.

	This needs to change. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. There has been progress - more girls are going to school, fewer girls are forced into early marriage, more women are serving in parliament and positions of leadership, and laws are being reformed to advance gender equality.

	The COVID19 pandemic has deeply impacted a lot of the progress made and it is more important than ever that we focus on the empowerment of women and girls, and make every effort to create the space for and value the contribution of women worldwide.

	At the end of another long day, I was a panel speaker in a side event focusing on women leaders within the UNFCCC, recognised for the role that my photography has played within the climate negotiation process. What a thing to be honoured in this way, to have my work valued, and to share my own story. It reminded me that we all have a role to play – no contribution goes unnoticed, no matter how small.

	Nov 10th - Transport is at the centre of many economic and social development challenges, accounting for about 64% of global oil consumption, 27% of all energy use, and 23% of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Creating sustainable transportation solutions is one of the greatest challenges facing cities today but also a great opportunity for the low-carbon development of cities.

	Today at COP26, a high-level panel took place discussing some of the solutions, particularly electrification. There are now more than 10 million electric vehicles on the road globally, but this is not enough. More needs to be done to reduce dependence on cars through infrastructure upgrades focusing on public transit, and ultimately we need to phase out the sale internal combustion engines within the next 20 years. Declarations and pledges were announced, signaling good progress toward decarbonizing this sector.

	But this wasn’t the only thing being discussed. As we enter the final days of negotiations, a COP26 stocktaking plenary took place to discuss where the negotiations currently stand and ministers were tasked to get the negotiations back on track. Progress is mixed and there is still a long way to go.

	To spur the parties into action, the UN Secretary-General returned to the conference, along with the UK Prime Minister, and many bilateral meetings and high-level discussions took place. We’re in the final throws now and everyone wants a good outcome. We have two days left and this will determine whether a good outcome will be achieved. The world is watching Glasgow and we will soon find out if our ambition to limit global warming to 1.5C is enough.

	Nov 11th - Cities are a major contributor to the climate crisis. Over half of the world’s population lives in cities and this is expected to increase to two thirds by 2030. Cities are one of the primary users of energy and are responsible for about 70% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. But they are also a major part of the solution. Cities are hubs of innovation and creativity, and transforming the way we design and run our cities can radically change our impact on the climate.

	Today also various panels spoke about how to do just that, from building systemic resilience, creating barriers to protect coastal areas, retrofitting infrastructure, planting trees, increasing public transport, to initiating behavioural-change programs for citizens. It’s an exciting space to be in and this is really where the heart of our response to the climate crisis lies.

	At the same time, a high-level plenary took place to discuss global climate action. With messages from the UN Secretary-General, the High-Level Champions, the Executive Secretary, and other dignitaries, the message was clear: pressure is mounting to reach a meaningful deal before COP26 ends tomorrow and we must act now. As the UN Secretary-General said, the commitments made so far are still not enough and we are fighting the greatest battle of our lives. Tomorrow is the final day and we are all hoping that the parties will reach an ambitious agreement that will get us back on track.

	For me, it’s been an amazing day. Even though I am thoroughly exhausted, I am so incredibly grateful for everything that has happened over these past two weeks, not the least of which has been connecting and reconnecting with the world. It is such a privilege to be here right now, in this space, with all these people, and my heart is bursting with energy for the incredible opportunity we all have to make a difference in the world.

	Nov 12th - Today was supposed to be the last day for COP26, but we knew that wasn’t going to happen. At 8pm, we were informed that the negotiating text had still not been agreed to and instead of closing tonight, plenary will reconvene tomorrow morning.

	This is not unusual for a COP – while many of the items have been agreed to, the difficult ones remain and it becomes a waiting game. At COP21 in Paris the meeting ended at 12:30am on Saturday - 30 hours over time - but at COP25 in Madrid, we only ended at 2pm on Sunday – 42 hours over time – making it the longest COP in history. How long will this one go? We just don’t know, but when the negotiating text comes out at 8am tomorrow, we will have a clearer picture of where we’re at.

	There’s been a lot of frustration at this COP, particularly from the side of civil society. There have been issues of access, issues of participation, and a lot of restrictions, leaving people feeling very frustrated. In response, civil society convened a ‘People’s Plenary’ where they delivered their own statements, rallying the ‘people’ to hold decision-makers to account.

	It was a powerful plenary, hearing the stories of Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, researchers, NGOs, trade unions and others. At the end, they marched out carrying a long red cloth symbolising their ‘red lines’, the issues that they will not budge on – like human rights which are, astoundingly, a point of contention within the negotiations.

	On the outside of the building, an Extinction Rebellion demonstration was also taking place, reminding me of the enormous power that civil society holds. Yes, there are major systemic issues that need to be addressed, major power shifts that need to occur, but collectively we have the power to change these unjust systems.

	We will see tomorrow if the political leaders recognise the demands of the people and whether or not an ambitious outcome will be achieved in Glasgow.

	Nov 14th - At 11:27pm last night, the COP26 climate negotiations were gavelled to a close and the Glasgow Climate Pact was adopted.

So What Was Agreed?
COP26 agreed for the first time to accelerate efforts towards the phase-down of coal power and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recognised the need for support towards a just transition. Technical negotiations on the Paris Agreement Rulebook 
were completed,

fixing the transparency and reporting requirements to track progress against emission reduction targets. This includes the Article 6 mechanisms, which set out the functioning of international carbon markets to support further global cooperation on emission reductions.

	On climate finance, the text commits developed countries to double the collective share of adaptation finance within the $100 billion annual target for 2021-2025, and to reach the $100 billion goal as soon as possible. Parties also committed to a process to agree on long-term climate finance beyond 2025. The COP also decided to establish a dialogue between parties, stakeholders and relevant organisations to support efforts to avert, minimise and address loss and damage associated with climate change.

	Before COP26 began, we were well on track for 2.7C of global warming, but with the commitments made, this is estimated to be between 1.8C and 2.4C. So yes, progress was made but it is far from enough!

	The end is always so unceremonious. After two weeks of intensity, everything is suddenly just done – people leave in a rush to catch their flights, there are few goodbyes, and before you know it, the halls are empty and the building is already being dismantled. I walked home alone in the dark with aching feet and a heavy heart and that was it – it’s done.

	Life returns to normal now, or whatever that was before this all began. There are more stories to tell, but for now – rest.