John Kerry: COP26 in Glasgow 'last chance' to minimise climate damage on planet earth

John Kerry, the United States' special envoy for climate, has said this year's COP26 in Glasgow is the world's "last chance" to minimise the worst effects of climate change.

Kerry, who will head to Scotland for the UN conference in November, said the world had already wasted precious time due to a failure of leadership from the United States under President Trump.

In a interview with former Prime Minister Tony Blair hosted by London's Science Museum, he repeated his belief that Glasgow was the world's "last best hope".

Asked by Blair, "Would it be right to characterise this as the last chance, really?"

Kerry said: "It's not the last chance for survival, but it's the last chance to minimise the damages and the changes on planet earth. Rich countries will find a way (to deal with the impact)...this is only going to accentuate the great divide between the haves and have nots.

"The developing nations are going to feel it the worst. In the developing nations, more people are going to get hit the hardest if we don't move.

"We can do this, but we got to get going. Glasgow is the last best hope to avoid the worst consequences and to avoid the planet changing in ways that are even hard to predict."

COP26 is scheduled to take place between 1-12 November.