The UK and Italy have received formal international backing to host the COP26 climate summit in 2020 and are expected to be formally named as co-hosts in December.

The two countries had been competing to hold the event but the UK and Italian governments joined forces to present a joint bid. The announcement means both countries are now officially backed by the group of countries responsible for nominating the 2020 host.

Under the joint bid Italy will host the preliminary meeting and the UK will host the main two-week conference, with Glasgow acting as host city.

With 30,000 people from around the world expected to attend the high profile event, the UN’s 26th climate change conference meeting would be the largest summit the UK has ever hosted - as many as 200 world leaders are expected on the final weekend.

The summit will be a crucial test of the UK goverment's climate leadership on the world stage, with the event marking both the full adoption of the Paris Agreement and the date by which countries are expected to come forward with strengthened national action plans.

The Government expects the UK’s nomination to be formally accepted at December’s COP25 summit in Chile.

Employers’ organisation the CBI, which speaks on behalf of 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors and is the voice of British business voice around the world, welcomed the news.

Matthew Fell, CBI Chief UK Policy Director, said:

“It’s fantastic news that the UK will be hosting the COP26 conference. This is a golden opportunity for the country to demonstrate its continued leadership from the front on global climate action.

“The conference will also show the world that the UK is a top destination for low-carbon investment, driving progress on reducing our own contribution to climate change and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”