Critical Climate Change Conference COP26 May Be Delayed By A Year Amid Pandemic
The 2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is likely to be postponed by an entire year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Experts have warned that such a delay could have catastrophic consequences on the planet as nations continue to fall short of targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
COP26, described as the most important international discussion on climate change since 2015 when the Paris climate accord was signed, had initially been scheduled to take place in November 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland. Dozens of world leaders were supposed to present detailed plans at the conference on how they intend to cut their nation’s emissions to ensure that global temperatures don’t rise more than 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, above preindustrial levels ― a limit countries agreed to in the Paris accord.
Due to coronavirus concerns, however, the U.N. said in April that the conference would be postponed. A new date wasn’t provided at the time, but there was hope the conference would be rescheduled for the first quarter of 2021, The Guardian reported.
The U.K. government, which will host the conference, has now proposed the talks be delayed until November next year.
“Given the uneven spread of COVID-19, this date would present the lowest risk of further postponement and the best chance of delivering an inclusive and ambitious COP,” U.K. officials said in a Tuesday letter addressed to participating nations, The New York Times reported.
A decision will reportedly be made at a Thursday U.N. meeting as to whether the U.K.’s proposed date will be accepted.
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COP climate change summit should be 1-12 November 2021, says UK government
- For environmentalists this bets a change of US government might mean they’re back in Paris accord and China might be more engaged after Covid criticism pic.twitter.com/Y39GTFXkLw— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) May 26, 2020
If COP26 is delayed by a year, smaller...
