Confirmation global Cop26 summit to go ahead in Glasgow, with plans for in-person attendance

The UN climate summit will go ahead in Glasgow this year, the Scottish Government’s lead for Cop26 has said.

There has been speculation over whether the conference, which is being co-hosted by the UK, would be able to take place this November after being postponed from 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But in a webinar held on Wednesday, Gerard Howe told more than 200 online attendees that the international meeting would definitely take place.

He acknowledged that it was “inevitable” virtual events would play a part in the conference, but there remained hope that key negotiations between world leaders would involve face-to-face meetings.

The United Nations climate summit Cop26, co-hosted by the UK, is due to be held in Glasgow this November after being postponed from 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic

He said “lots of uncertainty” remained around the logistics, such as ensuring safe travel for delegates from around 200 countries, but organisers were working hard to find solutions.

Cop26, or the 26th Conference of Parties, is widely considered to be the most important international climate meeting since the Paris agreement was signed at Cop21 in 2015.

It’s when nations which signed up to the agreement must lay out their plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions in a bid to keep global warming under 2C.

Mr Howe was speaking at the Countdown to Cop26 digital event, hosted by Aspect communications agency, alongside colleague and fellow guest Kersti Berge, the Scottish Government’s director for energy and climate change.

The pair answered questions from the audience on a wide range of issues related to the conference, including explaining how Green and Blue zones would work.

They revealed that more than 4,000 bids had already been received for space in the public Green Zone – much more than the capacity – and many from Scotland.

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