Four key takeaways from COP26

The latest United Nations climate summit, or COP26, officially concluded Saturday, bringing an end to two long weeks of gruelling negotiations in Glasgow, Scotland, among almost 200 countries. Deliberations dragged on a day later than scheduled, and the final deal that was struck — the Glasgow Climate Pact — was weakened by stubborn, last-minute compromises, such as one inserted by India that gives coal a second lease on life.

So, what came out of Glasgow, really? Scientists and many policymakers stress that action on climate change now is urgently needed, especially as the dire impacts of warming have thrown entire countries into disarray.