The COP26 UN climate change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to COVID-19.
The decision has been taken by representatives of the COP Bureau of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), with the UK and its Italian partners.
A statement released by the UK Government yesterday said that holding COP26 in November 2020 was no longer possible in light of the ongoing, worldwide effects of COVID-19.
Dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021, hosted in Glasgow by the UK in partnership with Italy, will be set out in due course following further discussion with parties. The statement said that rescheduling would ensure all parties could focus on the issues to be discussed at the conference and allow more time for the necessary preparations to take place.
COP26 President-Designate and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma said:
“The world is currently facing an unprecedented global challenge and countries are rightly focusing their efforts on saving lives and fighting COVID-19. That is why we have decided to reschedule COP26.”
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa said:
“COVID-19 is the most urgent threat facing humanity today, but we cannot forget that climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity over the long term.
“Soon, economies will restart. This is a chance for nations to recover better, to include the most vulnerable in those plans, and a chance to shape the 21st century economy in ways that are clean, green, healthy, just, safe and more resilient.
“In the meantime, we continue to support and to urge nations to significantly boost climate ambition in line with the Paris Agreement.”
Italian Minister for the Environment, Land and Sea Protection, Sergio Costa, said:
COP25 President, Minister Carolina Schmidt, added that the decision of the Bureau on the postponement of COP26 was unfortunately a needed measure to protect all delegates and observers.
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