United Nations' COP26 climate change conference postponed
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The UN climate change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to Covid-19.
A new date for COP26 – due to be hosted in Glasgow by the UK government in partnership with Italy – is yet to be agreed.
The government said holding an ambitious, inclusive COP26 in November would no longer be possible in the circumstances.
It added that rescheduling the event would ensure all parties could focus on the issues to be discussed at this vital conference and allow more time for the necessary preparations to take place.
We will continue to work with all involved to increase climate ambition, build resilience and lower emissions, the government added.
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.
"We will continue working tirelessly with our partners to deliver the ambition needed to tackle the climate crisis and I look forward to agreeing a new date for the conference."
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."
Campaign group Stop Climate Chaos Scotland accepted the decision was the right one, but said it remained vital to deal with the climate change crisis.
Chairman Tom Ballantine said: “While clearly hugely disappointing, this decision was absolutely necessary given the current situation with Covid-19. The immediate priority needs to be saving and protecting lives from this virus.
“Despite this decision to postpone COP26, the need for us to take action on the climate crisis remains as urgent as ever. This pandemic brings into even sharper focus that global crises need global answers. We also need collaboration and cooperation between governments to save lives from the climate crisis, with action based on what the science demands.
“When it happens, COP26 will be a critical opportunity to accelerate global climate action. It must secure faster action to slash climate emissions and to boost support to communities already being devastated by droughts, floods and storms, while ensuring the voices of those most impacted are fully heard."
Friends of the Earth Scotland director Dr Richard Dixon added: “Given the worldwide health dangers of coronavirus, it is understandable that the UN climate negotiations in Glasgow have been delayed.
"Every effort must be made to save lives and protect the vulnerable who will suffer the most in this crisis.
"However, rich countries must not use the delay in the talks to delay taking urgent action on reducing emissions and providing climate finance for developing countries. Because the climate crisis is very urgent, COP26 needs to take place in the first half of 2021 and COP27 should still happen as planned that autumn."
