1. Leadership is REALLY important
2. Disconnect is the key word
3. Leipzig in September
4. The elephant in the room .
5. Glasgow has a mountain to climb
The key takeaway from Madrid is that making progress in climate talks requires huge preparation, strong diplomacy and very committed leadership.
Because Madrid failed to clarify so many key issues the onus now falls on the UK to resolve many of the most challenging questions.
In Glasgow, the question of loss and damage, of carbon markets, transparency and many other technical issues will need to solved.
Most importantly the countries will have to agree a major boost in their carbon cutting if the world is to keep the rise in global temperatures under 1.5C this century.
At a time when the UK will be negotiating trade deals with the EU and with the US, it is going to require enormous diplomatic clout to deal with the climate question as well.
“The diplomacy to build the confidence of the Chinas and the Indias that they can do more and they will be supported, through economic co-operation and that everyone else is moving in that direction, is incredibly important for changing the politics heading into next year,” said Jennifer Tollman, a climate expert with the E3G think tank.
“The UK can’t do it on its own. They will have to outsource this to people they know and trust.”
2019 BBC