The COP26 UN climate summit takes place in Glasgow from Monday 1st to Friday 12th November 2021. The Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) together with the UK and its Italian partners have now agreed the new dates for the COP26 UN climate conference which will be held at the SEC in Glasgow.
The agreement followed consultation with UNFCCC members, delivery partners and the international climate community. The conference was originally set to take place in November 2020, but has been postponed due to COVID-19. In the run up to November 2021, the UK as hosts will continue to work with all involved to increase climate action, build resilience and lower emissions. The new date will also allow the UK and our Italian partners to harness their incoming G7 and G20 presidencies in driving climate ambition.
Alok Sharma, COP26 President and Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said “While we rightly focus on fighting the immediate crisis of the Coronavirus, we must not lose sight of the huge challenges of climate change. With the new dates for COP26 now agreed we are working with our international partners on an ambitious roadmap for global climate action between now and November 2021. The steps we take to rebuild our economies will have a profound impact on our societies’ future sustainability, resilience and wellbeing and COP26 can be a moment where the world unites behind a clean resilient recovery.”
Sergio Costa, Italian Minister for the Environment, Land and Sea Protection, added “I am glad that consultations with Parties have made it possible to collectively and quickly agree new dates for COP26. The new dates mean the conference will be at a time when the Covid-19 tragedy will be behind us and we will be able to ensure inclusiveness, for us a fundamental prerequisite for an ambitious COP26 based on global commitment to action. Between now and November 2021 we will take advantage of every international opportunity to increase ambition and mobilization, also harnessing the G20 under the Italian Presidency and the G7 under the British Presidency.”
The UK will be assuming the COP26 Presidency, in partnership with Italy. The UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, with Italy hosting a number of key preparatory events such as a Youth Event and the Pre-COP Summit. The UK-Italy partnership will focus on promoting tangible action that brings to life the transformational change required to unleash the full potential of the Paris Agreement.