There are clear challenges and opportunities for getting climate negotiations on track in 2021. After a lacklustre COP25, the vaunted 2020 ‘super year’ designed to reset the UNFCCC process succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, despite rolling postponements, the UNFCCC process and climate diplomacy has continued, albeit in dramatically altered form. So, what can be done now to ensure ambitious and tangible progress is likely if in-person negotiations are able to resume this year? This paper offers a ‘refresher’ on the context of climate negotiations, unfinished business from COP24 and COP25, and the pandemic’s impact, before exploring practical steps that could help make COP26 a success.