COP26: Glasgow chosen to host UN global climate summit in 2020

Glasgow - Image credit: Oliver Clarke via Flickr

Glasgow has been chosen as the location for a major global climate conference next year.

The city will host for the UN’s 26^th climate talks in December 2020.

Known as COP26, the summit is expected to be the most important climate change event since the Paris agreement was signed in 2015.

It will see up to 200 heads of government from around the world as well as up to 30,000 delegates, including climate experts, business leaders and citizens, meet to draw up a new climate change strategy.

The main summit will be held at Glasgow's Scottish Events Campus (SEC) after the UK won the bid to be the main host, while joint hosts Italy will hold preparatory events before the summit and a youth event.

Lasting two weeks, it will be the largest summit the UK has ever hosted.

Glasgow City Council leader Councillor Susan Aitken said: "It is a tremendous honour for our city and recognition of the strides on sustainability we have made that Glasgow will host an event of such global significance.

“The climate emergency is the issue of our age and COP26 will be the most significant coming together of world leaders to discuss it since the signing of the Paris Agreement.

“This is the century of the city and cities are best placed to get to grips with the global climate emergency.

“Here in Glasgow we are determined to become the UK's first 'zero carbon city

“Our ambition is to be at the forefront on climate action and we hope the efforts in our city can encourage the attending world leaders to deliver for our planet.”

Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “I am pleased that Glasgow has been confirmed as the host city of COP 26, now that the joint UK and Italy bid to host the summit has been approved.  

“It is right that this conference should come to Scotland given our leadership in climate action.

“Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to acknowledge the global climate emergency and the Scottish Government has introduced the toughest targets in the UK to ensure our action matches the scale of our climate ambitions.

“We look forward to working collaboratively with partners to deliver an ambitious and effective conference that ensures Scotland plays a leading role to help promote the increased global effort to tackle climate change.

 “I have no doubt that Glasgow will deliver a highly successful conference and I look forward to welcoming delegates to Scotland.”

The UK Government’s nominated president for COP26, Claire Perry, said: “In 2020, world leaders will come together to discuss how to tackle climate change on a global scale – and where better to do so than Glasgow, one of the UK’s most sustainable cities with a great track record for hosting high-profile international events.

“I welcome the nomination from our partners in the UN regional group to host COP26 in Glasgow in partnership with Italy. The UK is a world-leader in emissions reduction, and we have recently committed to reducing our net emissions to zero.”