Image source, PA Media

Thanks for joining our live coverage of day four of the COP26 climate conference. We'll be back tomorrow morning, when the focus turns to the energy industry. Here's a reminder of the day's developments:

• The focus of the first Wednesday of the conference was on finance and UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak kicked off proceedings with a promise to "rewire" the global financial system to be greener
• Plans include forcing UK firms to show how they intend to hit climate change targets
• Sunak also said that institutions controlling $130tn of assets had agreed to meet the 1.5C target for global warming
• While he reaffirmed the G20's commitment to raising $100bn a year to help poorer countries tackle climate change, the group of Least Developed Countries say a delay to hitting the target is unacceptable and the figure falls short of what they need
• Leading sports organisations including FIFA , the Premier League and the International Olympic Committee have agreed to reach net zero emissions by 2040
• Protests have been held in Glasgow with Extinction Rebellion taking aim at companies it accuses of "greenwashing" - two arrests have been made, Police Scotland said

Today's live page was written by George Bowden, Paul McLaren and Doug Faulkner. It was edited by Hamish Mackay, Claudia Allen and Kevin Ponniah.

So far, so good-ishpublished at 17:16 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

17:16 GMT 3 November 2021

Roger Harrabin
BBC environment analyst

Expectations for this COP26 conference were low.

Governments are still far, far from achieving their goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C.

We've already got dangerous warming in the form of floods, record heatwaves and wildfires, with a rise of just 1.1C.

So you could be forgiven for thinking it's all bad news.

But seasoned COP observers have been pleasantly surprised by a slew of announcements that suggest the world is on an unstoppable path to a low-carbon future.

So far so good, then. But there have been disappointments.

It had been expected that China would improve its offer to peak emissions by 2030. At least a token gesture was anticipated, but it's brought nothing.

The only consolation for the COP is that China usually over-delivers on its promises - unlike some others.

Read Roger's full analysis here.

That's the end of our Q&Apublished at 17:06 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

17:06 GMT 3 November 2021

Thanks to everyone who sent in questions - and thanks to Dr Liz Stephens and Helen Briggs for answering today's selection.

If you have comments or questions you can contact us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk - remember to mention climate in your email subject.

Shortly, we'll be bringing our live coverage of day four of COP26 to a close, but we'll be back tomorrow morning, when the focus turns to energy.

Can countries be punished if they fail to meet climate targets?published at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

17:00 GMT 3 November 2021

Helen Briggs

We've had a few questions on this theme of what happens if countries don’t keep their promises, including from Diana Butungi in Kampala. She wants to know if China and India could be sanctioned if they failed to set a 2050 net-zero target.

The deal the world signed up to in Paris is largely based on carrot not stick, when it comes to goals for slashing emissions.

Countries set their own emissions targets, which are assessed every five years. The process relies on trust and the sense we’re all in this together – with leaders seen as lagging behind if they don’t step up to the mark.

But while there are no sanctions for missing emissions targets or not pledging to do enough to keep warming in check, there is talk of shortening the timetable by which countries submit their emissions plans so they come to the table with more ambitious plans sooner than 2025.

Wael Hussein
BBC News, Cairo

Image source, Reuters

The city of Alexandria, on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, has survived invasions, earthquakes and fires since it was established 2,000 years ago by Alexander the Great. Now, it's facing a new threat: rising sea levels.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Monday that Alexandria would be among the low-lying major cities “lost beneath the waves” if global temperatures rose by 4C.

In response, Alexandria’s Governor Mohammed el-Sherif has noted that the city, which is home to 5 million people, is already suffering from the effects of climate change.

Sherif says rainfall has been increasing year after year, causing huge problems. In 2015, six people were killed when a severe storm flooded large parts of the city.

Authorities have installed concrete sea defences to reduce the impact of waves, but they cannot stop the water level from rising.

US President Joe Biden may have ended his flying visit to Scotland for COP26 - but one hotel worker is still "on cloud nine" after meeting him.

Rachel King works at the Dalmahoy Hotel, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, where the president was staying with his huge entourage.

The 30-year-old met the president in the canteen area of the venue and was thrilled to shake his hand.

"I'll remember this for the rest of my life," she says.

Read more on this story here

Image source, Reuters

Why don't harmful gases float off into space?published at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

16:35 GMT 3 November 2021

Dr Liz Stephens
Associate professor in climate risks and resilience, University of Reading

Time for a simple one now, and reader Thomas Sheehan from Durham asks what is stopping the greenhouse gases from disappearing off into space and beyond.

The Earth’s gravitational force keeps the gases from leaving our atmosphere.

All planets in our solar system have an atmosphere in one form or another, for example, Mars, a smaller planet than Earth, has an atmosphere of less than 1% of the volume of our own atmosphere, external.

Vanessa Buschschlüter
Latin America Editor, BBC News

Image source, SIMON J PIERCE/GALAPAGOS CONSERVATION TRUST

One of the tangible achievements to have come out of COP26 has been the expansion of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, announced by Ecuador’s president in Glasgow.

The waters around the Galapagos Islands teem with endangered species such as the endangered whale shark.

But in recent years, a huge Chinese fishing fleet has been accused by conservationists of “pillaging” the waters surrounding the islands.

President Lasso tells the BBC that the expansion is not in response to the movements of the Chinese fleet but rather “to show that action rather than words were the most effective way to fight climate change”.

The move has been welcomed as “a brilliant first step” by conservationists. Among them is Sarah Darwin, great-great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin, whose theory of evolution was inspired by the biodiversity he found on the islands.

Sarah Darwin, a botanist and an ambassador for the Galapagos Conservation Trust says that she hopes that the conservation efforts conducted in and around the islands would set a wider example.

"If you can save the Galapagos, you can save the world," she says.

You can read more about the expansion here.

Should we cut speed limits to reduce emissions?published at 16:18 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

16:18 GMT 3 November 2021

Helen Briggs
BBC science correspondent in Glasgow

Peter Falandysz in County Durham, England, asks if anyone in government is looking at reducing speed limits on motorways to save fuel and cut emission - might it be a quick and relatively easy thing to implement?

There are ways to save a bit of fuel – and therefore pollution – by driving more smoothly or slowly, but this is a drop in the ocean when it comes to the huge emissions cuts needed over the course of the decade to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change.

Greenhouse gas emissions from transport mainly come from the burning of fossil fuels that power our cars, trucks, ships, trains and planes. Transport accounts for about one-fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions, with much of it coming from cars.

The government’s net-zero strategy relies on a shift towards electric vehicles, among other things. And we will all have to rethink the way we travel in a net-zero world.

Image source, PA Media

There have been several protests taking place in Glasgow today, including the one involving the inflatable Nessie that was escorted away by police.

Protesters from Extinction Rebellion (XR) are holding demonstrations in central Glasgow outside the offices of companies they accuse of "greenwashing" - paying lip service to climate change but not tackling it.

BBC Scotland’s James Cheyne says at least two XR protesters were arrested this afternoon after a demonstration outside power company SSE.

Police Scotland says a number of officers were sprayed with paint and two arrests were made.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Do garden compost heaps emit harmful methane?published at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

15:58 GMT 3 November 2021

Dr Liz Stephens
Associate professor in climate risks and resilience, University of Reading

Image source, Getty Images

On Tuesday we reported on measures to reduce emissions of methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas. Alan Morley-Fletcher from Cornwall in England asks if home composting in your own garden emits harmful methane? And, if so, what can we do to compost in a non-polluting way?

Decomposing material only emits methane under anaerobic (zero oxygen) conditions, like in a landfill. A well-managed compost heap decomposes under aerobic conditions, so no methane is released.

You can ensure that your compost heap has enough oxygen by balancing green and brown material. The Royal Horticultural Society recommends, external that 25% to 50% of the material should be soft green waste, with the rest brown material such as leaves, cardboard and woodchip.

The inclusion of brown waste as well as turning the heap regularly will ensure that there is enough oxygen for aerobic bacteria to thrive.

Remember too that home composting means that the environmental costs of collecting and transporting the waste are avoided, as are the transport costs of bringing compost into your garden.

Image source, Getty Images

Leading organisations in the world of sport have agreed to reach net zero emissions by 2040 - as well as cut greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030.

All new and existing members of the Sports for Climate Action Framework will be called upon to adopt the targets, which were agreed today.

The agreement aims to gather sports organisations, teams, athletes, and fans in a concerted effort to raise awareness for the urgency required to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

UN climate change executive secretary Patricia Espinosa says: "The sector eagerly took up the challenge, but also told us that they want to do more and to do it faster."

Signatories to the framework, external include the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, Athletics Kenya, BBC Sport, the Premier League, Formula E and Munster Rugby.

Why can't we ban deforestation by the end of 2022?published at 15:40 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

15:40 GMT 3 November 2021

Helen Briggs
BBC science correspondent in Glasgow

One of the questions we've had is: why can't we ban deforestation sooner?

Forests have long been seen as a critical part of the climate solution, but rates of deforestation around the world are still rising, despite international efforts.

In 2014, the UN announced a deal to halve deforestation by 2020 and end it in 2030, but the agreement failed.

One of the first deals struck in Glasgow was a new pact on deforestation, signed by more than 100 world leaders, who pledged to end and reverse deforestation by 2030. The move was given a cautious welcome by experts, but some said the target of 2030 was disappointing.

Part of the problem is that many of the world’s remaining forests are in countries in the global south where jobs and livelihoods depend on exports such as palm oil, beef and soya. And some people living in the Amazon depend on the forest for their livelihoods and need support in finding new incomes.

There are a complex set of problems that need to be solved if the world is to do better at preventing deforestation.

• Which countries are still cutting down trees?

Why are the target dates so far away?published at 15:35 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

15:35 GMT 3 November 2021

Dr Liz Stephens
Associate professor in climate risks and resilience, University of Reading

Many readers have asked about the speed of change, including Graeme from Somerset in England, who says: Hasn’t Covid proven that people can quickly switch careers if financial support is there? Can’t we just ban deforestation by the end of 2022 rather than by 2030?

While the rest of the world still demands exports such as palm oil or beef, there is still more money to be made from clearing forests than protecting them.

It is not easy for those who make livelihoods from these exports to find new incomes, nor is it easy to bring in policies and legislation at national and local levels both to stop deforestation and enforce that stop.

• Can countries be forced to meet net zero targets?

How big is the carbon footprint of meat and dairy?published at 15:30 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

15:30 GMT 3 November 2021

Dr Liz Stephens
Associate professor in climate risks and resilience, University of Reading

Lots of our readers are interested in the agriculture sector and how much difference food choices make. Preeti Singh, in India, asks: What is the direct and indirect impact of meat and dairy consumption on climate change?

Beef is by far the worst food you can eat from a climate change perspective. This is because cows produce methane, a stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, and have large land-use requirements for grazing and feed production.

A study by the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation in 2013, external estimated that livestock production as a whole accounted for 14.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

This estimate takes into account the full life cycle of the supply chain, from land use, feed production, animal production (including methane emissions) and transportation of products.

Beef and dairy production is by far the biggest source of emissions in the livestock sector, counting for 8.8% of that 14.5%.

The demand for meat is predicted to increase as societies become more affluent and the world’s population grows. One estimate , externalsuggests that livestock production will grow by 25% between 2015 and 2030.

• What's your diet's carbon footprint?

Could carbon capture be part of the solution?published at 15:23 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

15:23 GMT 3 November 2021

Helen Briggs
BBC science correspondent in Glasgow

Image source, NORTH SEA MIDSTREAM PARTNERS

Bernath Bence in the Netherlands asks if there are plans for governments to invest in carbon-capture technologies on a very large scale? "It seems that solutions might exist, but up to now it is financed by private companies."

Carbon capture is a cutting-edge, costly and controversial technology, but some experts believe it will be part of the solution to achieving net zero.

So-called nature solutions - such as planting trees and restoring peatlands - take time to reap rewards, and remain vulnerable to logging or wildfires. Some argue they may not be enough in themselves and are calling for a mass rollout of plants to capture carbon dioxide and bury the gases underground.

Despite questions over the use of carbon capture, some countries are forging ahead. Efforts are under way in Norway, the Netherlands and the UK to build up networks for capturing greenhouse gases and storing them under the North Sea.

• Scotland misses out on first carbon capture and storage facility

What role do less developed nations play in these talks?published at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

15:17 GMT 3 November 2021

Helen Briggs
BBC science correspondent in Glasgow

Image source, Getty Images

We've heard about wealthy nations, but what influence do less developed, poorer countries have during the negotiation process? That's a question from Navein in Malaysia.

The idea that everyone has a place at the table is central to the negotiations.

Poorer nations have been key players in the talks for years. The issue of mutual trust between developed and developing countries is a prevailing theme at Glasgow, with impassioned speeches from leaders of countries facing the biggest devastation from climate change.

The run-up to this conference was marred by concerns over access to Covid vaccines and problems caused by travel restrictions. Ensuring everyone feels they have a voice will be central to the success of the talks.

What can I do to help the planet?published at 15:13 Greenwich Mean Time 3 November 2021

15:13 GMT 3 November 2021

Dr Liz Stephens
Associate professor in climate risks and resilience, University of Reading

Image source, Getty Images

Lots of you have asked what an ordinary person who is not in a position of power can do to help with climate change. Gemma-Kirstie in Hove in England asks: I want to do something but sometimes feel helpless, so my question is: what can each one of us do that will have an impact?

While it is commonly quoted that 71% of global emissions are produced by just 100 companies, it is us who consume what these companies produce.

For most of us, reducing our air travel and eating less meat are the single biggest changes we can make to reduce our own carbon footprint, but we also need to lobby for change in our society as a whole, for example to make sure that large infrastructure investments are undertaken in ways compatible with our climate goals.

We're turning our attention now to your questions about climate change.

Answering them are Dr Liz Stephens, an associate professor in climate risks and resilience at the University of Reading, and the BBC's own science correspondent Helen Briggs.

We'll also continue to bring you the latest developments from Glasgow.

Rich countries have failed to meet a pledge made over a decade ago to provide $100bn a year by 2020 to help poorer countries cope with climate.

That target has now been pushed back to 2023, although some remain optimistic it could be reached earlier.

The group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) say this delay is unacceptable and that the figure of $100bn falls far short of what these nations need to deal with a crisis not of their own making.

Various declarations have been made by rich nations at the climate summit on how they plan meet their goals on climate finance for developing nations.

You can read more about climate finance and which of the rich countries are closest to meeting their obligations under the initiative in our piece here.