Glasgow, UK - Day one of COP26 saw moving speeches from leaders and climate activists, but no new news from the richest countries, except for minor pledges. Also – apparently humanity is James Bond?

UK Prime Minister and pop culture reference-generator Boris Johnson kicked things off by comparing world governments to James Bond, and the climate crisis to a ticking doomsday device.

President Joe Biden had nothing new to say about US goals or plans, which, given that the US is one of the top polluters of the planet, is frustrating to many world leaders.

The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, summed up the accusations that developing nations level at richer countries, and said that there are three core problems in the world's climate action.

Environment and Climate EPA allows California's 2035 ban on new gas-powered car sales

First, current pledges for emissions fall far short, putting the world on course for 2.7 degrees Celsius above 19th century levels. Second, the world is still $20 billion short of pledged $100 billion for climate action funding. And finally, the financial support promised for Loss and Damage still hasn't been delivered – funding to frontline nations hit the hardest by climate change actually "declined by 25% in 2019."

She set the benchmark for what would make COP26 a success in the eyes of countries like Barbados, which are already suffering the worst impacts of climate change.

The real negotiation work kicks off once the opening speeches wrap up. Still, the opening statements are when leaders can introduce updated plans, bold new targets, and even show the whole world up like Nepal did by moving its net-zero goal from 2050 to 2045.