What is Cop26 and why does it matter? Your guide to the Glasgow climate summit

(Climate Home News, 6 Sep 2021) The next round of UN climate talks, or Cop26, has been billed as a test of global solidarity between the world’s rich and poor and the most important climate talks since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.

Delayed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, heads of state, diplomats, business leaders, campaigners and journalists are due to meet in person in Glasgow, UK, from 31 October to 12 November.

The hosts are aiming to mobilise a step up in climate action and keep hope alive of meeting the tougher goal of the Paris Agreement: limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C.

That means curbing emissions deeper and faster, adapting to a new era of climate impacts and scaling up the financial support developing nations need to build low-carbon and resilient economies.

Here is what you need to know about the conference.

First things first. What is a Cop? 

“Cop” is short for Conference of the Parties, which refers to the meeting of the 197 members to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as UN Climate Change.

The talks are hosted every year by a different country and bring together delegates from every national government to advance global efforts to prevent dangerous climate change.

Cop1 was held in Berlin, Germany, in 1995. This year, the 26th session of the talks is known as Cop26.

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Climate Home News, 6 Sep 2021: What is Cop26 and why does it matter? Your guide to the Glasgow climate summit

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