Could COP26 be the 'beginning of the end' for oil and gas?

Cecilia Keating
clock • 9 min read
Danish climate ministers Dan Jørgensen and Costa Rica minister of environment and energy Andrea Meza at the BOGA launch | Credit: BOGA
Image:

Danish climate ministers Dan Jørgensen and Costa Rica minister of environment and energy Andrea Meza at the BOGA launch | Credit: BOGA

COP26 has seen fossil fuels mentioned for the first time in a UNFCCC cover text and the launch of a pioneering alliance of governments committed to phasing out oil and gas production.

The final days of the COP26 Climate Summit has seen fossil fuels take something of a shellacking. Just a day after the draft cover text for the Summit included historic mentions of the need to phase out...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

Cecilia Keating
Author spotlight

Cecilia Keating

View profile
More from Cecilia Keating

We need the transition to a low-carbon economy to reverse historic injustices

Why the Women in Green Business Awards is more important than ever

More on Energy

'This must be the final chapter for North Sea drilling': Jackdaw approval sparks calls for strengthened plan to end fossil fuel reliance
Energy

'This must be the final chapter for North Sea drilling': Jackdaw approval sparks calls for strengthened plan to end fossil fuel reliance

Government announces new £2bn Energy Wealth Fund alongside green light for controversial gas field, but campaigners argue bolder decarbonisation efforts are urgently needed

James Murray
James Murray
clock 21 October 2026 • 7 min read
Government to approve controversial Jackdaw gas field project
Energy

Government to approve controversial Jackdaw gas field project

Decision set to spark fierce criticism from climate campaigners who have warned new fossil fuel projects risk breaching the UK's legally-binding emissions targets

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 21 October 2026 • 7 min read
MPs urge government to move all energy policy costs onto gas bills
Energy

MPs urge government to move all energy policy costs onto gas bills

Parliament's Energy Security and Net Zero Committee argues Ministers should reduce electricity bill relative to gas in order to accelerate adoption of heat pumps and other clean technologies

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 21 October 2026 • 6 min read