Over the next two weeks, world leaders are meeting in Glasgow, Scotland for the 26th annual UN Climate Conference (COP26). Against a backdrop of intensifying climate impacts — such as stronger and increasingly-common hurricanes and wildfires, rising sea levels, and melting glaciers — COP26 is a make-or-break moment for climate action after the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change described the climate situation as an urgent “code red for humanity.”

And yet, there is still hope. And an intensifying need to work collectively to stabilize our climate for a more equitable, sustainable future. The moment is now — for governments to come together to commit to and act on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and for philanthropy to play a catalyzing role to spur action.

As COP26 is underway, and people from governments, companies, civil society, and philanthropy come together to take collective action, here’s what we’re focused on:

A Major Pledge to Reduce Methane Emissions

Methane is a dangerous super pollutant because it is more than 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Slashing methane emissions is the fastest and most cost-effective way to keep the planet’s temperature rise to under 1.5℃, one of the goals of COP26, while also improving public health and food production. On November 2, President Biden announced that more than 100 countries have signed onto the Global Methane Pledge, which includes a commitment to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 and limit warming to 0.2℃ by 2050.

Rapid methane reductions now will bring many significant social and health benefits, including reduced asthma-related deaths and other negative outcomes that are associated with the harmful effects of climate change. These positive outcomes are especially important to minority and low-income communities, which are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. To ensure a just and equitable energy transition, more than 20 philanthropic organizations from across the globe — including the Packard Foundation — have committed $328 million to support countries’ abilities to meet the pledge.

Read the full article about the UN Climate Conference at The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.