Britain, which hosted the COP26 UN climate conference and will continue leading efforts until the 2022 gathering in Egypt, is being urged to collaborate with activists and environmentally-conscious businesses to adjust plans and maintain pressure on countries that are not as proactive in addressing climate change. This could involve various measures such as expanding funding programs to help countries like South Africa transition from coal dependency, as well as increasing political pressure on nations like Australia, Russia, and Brazil to do more in terms of climate action. According to Richard Black of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is currently at risk and requires urgent action rather than just more pledges. "We don't need more pledges... That's not really credible anymore. We need actions, policies," Black emphasized during a briefing on the outcomes of COP26. The summit, concluded on Saturday, resulted in some significant commitments such as doubling financing for climate impact adaptation, reducing coal power, eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, and ending deforestation by 2030. Despite these achievements, campaign groups expressed disappointment that the outcomes were insufficient to ensure global safety. Asad Rehman from the COP26 Coalition criticized the lack of consideration for science and justice. Emissions reduction targets for 2030 are projected to lead to a 2.4C temperature increase, well above the 1.5C goal. The agreement was criticized for not fully grasping the severity of the crisis. However, the government of Bangladesh, leading the Climate Vulnerable Forum, acknowledged the talks as a step forward. After the meeting in Glasgow, a statement was released acknowledging the global recognition of the urgency of the situation. Mark Watts, executive director of C40 Cities, emphasized the need for significant progress in on-the-ground climate action. He stated that as world leaders leave Glasgow, it is now the responsibility of others to continue the work. The Glasgow Climate Pact calls for countries to return by the end of 2022 with more ambitious plans to reduce emissions by 2030 in order to maintain the 1.5C goal. This is a more frequent update than the previous requirement under the 2015 Paris Agreement. The increased demand for faster progress, combined with pressure from climate activists and businesses seeking clearer market signals for green transitions, is causing more leaders to feel pressured to take action, according to Chris Stark, head of Britain's independent Climate Change Committee. Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of Energy UK, noted that the Glasgow deal's mention of phasing down coal and fossil fuel subsidies sends a strong message to businesses. Analysts believe this could lead to shifts in private investment that will have a greater impact on emissions than government climate finance. However, the newly established rules for carbon markets could lead companies and countries with net-zero pledges to rely too heavily on offsetting emissions instead of reducing them, Pinchbeck warned, calling for a cautious approach to determine if carbon trading systems will actually reduce global emissions. One significant change observed at the COP26 talks, according to her, is that more leaders have realized that climate change poses a real threat to their countries and that calls for action are coming from a wider range of society. Countries now not only understand the physical impact of climate change but also recognize the social and business pressures to address it. Former UK secretary of state for energy and climate change, Amber Rudd, emphasized the importance of maintaining public pressure for climate action, as politicians contemplate the implications of more immediate emissions reductions on their chances of re-election. She noted that politicians often prioritize future climate action that falls outside of their term in office, referred to as NIMTOO (not in my term of office). "Politicians are aware of what needs to be done." She mentioned that politicians struggle to get re-elected once they have already been in office, but public support for climate action could potentially ease this concern.