A FAILURE by world leaders to agree radical proposals at Cop26 would be a crime against humanity, campaigners have said, as broadcaster Sir David Attenborough warned that future generations will ask whether sufficient progress was made at the climate conference.

Sir David, speaking at the opening ceremony, told world leaders that the planet is already in trouble, highlighting the climate injustice facing many across the global South. 

He said that while many discussions would take place over the coming days, in reality, only one number mattered — the amount of carbon in our atmosphere, and the need to keep global temperature rises to a minimum. 

“The people alive now and the generations will look back at this conference and consider one thing: did that number stop rising and start to drop as a result of commitments made here? There is every reason to believe that the answer can be yes,” he said. 

“Today those who have done the least to cause this problem are being the hardest hit. 

“Is this how our story is due to end — a tale of the smartest species doomed by that all too human characteristic of failing to see the bigger picture in pursuit of short-term goals?”

World leaders from almost 200 countries have travelled to Glasgow to take part in the summit, dubbed by many as humanity’s last chance. 

The ceremony was opened by PM Boris Johnson, who said there is a duty to find the funds pledged at the 2015 climate summit in Paris.

Mr Johnson urged fellow world leaders not to “fluff our lines,” warning that younger generations will “not forgive us.” 

He said: “They will judge us with bitterness and with a resentment that eclipses any of the climate activists of today — and they will be right.”

Those from smaller nations took centre stage during the session, with Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley saying that developing countries were looking to bigger nations as they try to mitigate the impacts of emissions they had not created.

She said if action is not taken, world leaders would be allowing “the path of greed and selfishness to sow the seeds of our common destruction.”

Diplomats joined in the criticism, with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres saying it is an “illusion” to think that the fight against climate change is being won.

He told the Cop26 conference: “Recent climate action announcements might give the impression that we are on track to turn things around.

“Even if recent pledges were clear and credible — and there are serious questions about some of them — we are still careening towards climate catastrophe.”

Analysis released today by the UN suggests Cop26 has already failed in its primary goal of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C. 

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has now said that world leaders are guilty of crimes against humanity, claiming that nothing on the table in the run-up to the summit has resembled a functional response to the crisis. 

The group warned that not enough has been done to ensure emissions targets fall within agreed limits, calling for the media to hold the government to account. 

XR’s Jon Fuller said: “If they fail to do so they continue to be guilty of the same crimes against humanity as the world leaders who have gathered at 25 previous Cops — claiming progress in spite of a complete failure to stop emissions rising.”

Green Party leaders warned that complacency from governments could undo any good work done at Cop26, saying politicians cannot operate under the assumption that any deal will, on its own, solve the climate emergency.

Speaking at the launch of the Cop26 Green Hub, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie called for large-scale public investment and collective efforts to hold decision-makers to account. 

Mr Harvie said: “Where the real power lies is with governments and corporations who have been allowed to get away with murder for too long. I don’t think that is too strong a word to use.

“It is about challenging how power is exercised, rather than continuing this narrative.

“We are trying to address these issues in a context of a deeply, deeply flawed international community which has consistently placed power and attention with the countries who already have an excess of power and wealth.”