26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26)

Author (Corporate)	Cardiff EDC (Compiler)
Publication Date	2020
Content Type	News, Overview
	Summary: Overview, information and reports on the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - also known as COP 26. This Conference was held in Glasgow (United Kingdom) between 31 October and 12 November 2021. Further information: The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme body of the UNFCCC Convention. It consists of the representatives of the Parties to the Convention. It holds its sessions every year. The COP takes decisions which are necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions of the Convention and regularly reviews the implementation of these provisions. The 26th COP was officially launched on 4 February 2020, in a partnership between the United Kingdom (UK) and Italy. On 13 February, Alok Sharma was appointed COP26 President. It was initially scheduled to be held on 9-20 November 2020. On 1 April, it was announced that the Conference was to be postponed amid efforts to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. New dates were later agreed for 1-12 November 2021. The Council of the European Union adopted the EU's mandate for this Conference on 6 October 2021.
Related Links	Official Official Website of the 26th Conference of Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC https://www.ukcop26.org/ UK Government: Topical Events: COP26 https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/cop26 General Secretariat of the Council: UN climate change conference (COP 26), World Leaders Summit, Glasgow, UK, 1 November 2021 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2021/11/01/ Twitter: COP26 Official Account https://twitter.com/cop26 European Commission: Statement by Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, on the announcement to postpone the COP26 (1 April 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_20_583 UK Government: Press Release, 28/05/2020: New dates agreed for COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-dates-agreed-for-cop26-united-nations-climate-change-conference UK Government: DEFRA Blog, 30/06/2020: Government and businesses join to pledge action on climate change and biodiversity at COP26 Business Leaders Event https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/06/30/government-and-businesses-join-to-pledge-action-on-climate-change-and-biodiversity-at-cop26-business-leaders-event/ World Health Organization: Publications, 05/11/2020: COP26 Key Messages on Climate Change and Health https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/cop26-key-messages-on-climate-change-and-health European Commission: DG CLIMA: News, 18/06/2021: The Road to COP 26: the Bonn Climate Change Conference https://ec.europa.eu/clima/news-your-voice/news/road-cop-26-bonn-climate-change-conference-2021-06-18_en UN: World Health Organisation (WHO): Report, 11/10/2021: COP26 Special Report on Climate Change and Health. The Health Argument for Climate Action https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/cop26-special-report European Commission: Press Release, 28/10/2021: COP26: EU encourages partners to turn ambition into action and deliver on the Paris Agreement https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_5623 European Commission: Questions and Answers on COP26 (28 October 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_5482 European Commission: Statement by President von der Leyen ahead of the G20 Summit and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) (28 October 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/STATEMENT_21_5643 European Council: COP 26 - World Leaders summit - European Union statement by President Charles Michel (1 November 2021) https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/11/01/cop-26-opening-ceremony-1-november-2021/ European Commission: Speech by President von der Leyen at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) (1 November 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_5741 European Council: COP26 « Action and Solidarity Debate » — Intervention by President Charles Michel (1 November 2021) https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/11/01/cop26-action-and-solidarity-debate-intervention-president-charles-michel-1-november-2021/ UK Government: Press Release, 02/11/2021: Over 100 leaders make landmark pledge to end deforestation at COP26 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-100-leaders-make-landmark-pledge-to-end-deforestation-at-cop26 European Commission: Press Release, 02/11/2021: COP26: European Commission announces €1 billion pledge to protect world forests https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_5678 European Commission: Press Release, 09/11/2021: EU at COP26: Commission pledges €100 million to the Adaptation Fund https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_5886 European Commission: Executive Vice-President Timmermans' remarks at the high-level plenary session at COP26 (9 November 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_5888 United Nations: News, 13/11/2021: COP26 closes with ‘compromise’ deal on climate, but it’s not enough, says UN chief https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/11/1105792 European Commission: Press Release, 13/11/2021: COP26: EU helps deliver outcome to keep the Paris Agreement targets alive https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_6021 European Commission: Statement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the outcome of COP26 (13 November 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_21_6023 European Commission: Speech of Frans Timmermans at the informal COP26 Plenary (13 November 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_6022 News BBC News: Topics: COP26 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cgdwpywgeegt/cop26 The Guardian: Topics: COP26: Glasgow climate change conference 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/cop-26-glasgow-climate-change-conference-2020 Deutsche Welle: COP 26: Everything you need to know https://p.dw.com/p/421qz Politico: Tag: COP26 https://www.politico.eu/tag/cop26/ EurActiv: Topics: COP 26 https://www.euractiv.com/topics/cop-26/ Euronews: Tag: COP26 https://www.euronews.com/green/tag/cop26 Sky News: COP26 - Climate Crisis https://news.sky.com/cop26 The Scotsman: Topics: COP26 https://www.scotsman.com/topic/cop26 Politico, 01/04/2020: UN delays global climate talks amid coronavirus crisis https://www.politico.eu/article/cop26-climate-summit-postponed/ Euronews, 20/08/2020: COP26 may refuse sponsorship from big polluters https://www.euronews.com/green/2020/08/20/cop26-may-refuse-sponsorship-from-big-polluters Sky News, 11/11/2020: Coronavirus: COP26 conference in Glasgow could still be held virtually in 2021, minister fears https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-cop26-conference-in-glasgow-could-still-be-held-virtually-in-2021-minister-fears-12128311 Euronews, 13/11/2021: COP26: Governments adopt Glasgow Climate Pact after watering down language on coal https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/11/13/cop26-latest-new-draft-deal-released-as-climate-negotiations-drag-on The Guardian, 13/11/2021: Cop26 ends in climate agreement despite India watering down coal resolution https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/13/cop26-countries-agree-to-accept-imperfect-climate-agreement BBC News, 14/11/2021: COP26: New global climate deal struck in Glasgow https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-59277788 Deutsche Welle, 14/11/2021: COP26: World leaders fail to honor climate pledge https://p.dw.com/p/42xvI Commentary and Analysis UK Parliament: House of Commons Library: COP26: Briefings for the 2021 conference https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/science/cop26-briefings-for-the-2021-conference/ Wikipedia: 2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_Nations_Climate_Change_Conference Official Website of the COP26 Universities Network https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/cop26/ LSE: Grantham Research Institute: The COP26 United Nations climate change summit https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/cop26/ Chatham House: COP26 Diplomatic Briefing Series https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-departments/environment-and-society-programme/cop26-diplomatic-briefing-series World Bank Group: COP26 Climate Briefs https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/publication/world-bank-group-cop26-climate-briefs The Conversation (UK): Topics: COP26 https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/cop26-80762 World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF): COP 26 https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/climate_and_energy_practice/cop26/ Climate Action Network International: COP26 - Glasgow: Time for Solidarity and Ambition https://climatenetwork.org/cop26/ The Conversation, 08/01/2020: Climate change: COP26 Glasgow will provide world stage for Scotland’s green innovation https://theconversation.com/climate-change-cop26-glasgow-will-provide-world-stage-for-scotlands-green-innovation-129158 UK House of Commons: Library Research Briefing, March 2020: COP26: the 2020 climate change conference, Glasgow, UK https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8868/ Forbes: Editors Pick, 08/04/2020: Climate Change Experts: Here’s Why A Virtual COP26 Won’t Work https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrvetter/2020/04/08/climate-change-experts-heres-why-a-virtual-cop26-wont-work/?sh=60cbd6e84ec5 Nature: Editorial, 02/06/2020: Delaying COP26 is not a reason to delay climate action https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01621-0 Open Access Government, 17/06/2020: The leadership challenge of COP26, 2021 https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/the-leadership-challenge-of-cop26-2021/88607/ Institute for Public Policy Research: IPPR Briefing, 08/11/2020 The road to COP26: A clean and fair recovery at home and a leader on climate and nature abroad https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/road-to-cop26 IDDRI: Blog, 15/12/2020: From Paris to Glasgow: how can COP26 accelerate the advent of a low-carbon and resilient future? https://www.iddri.org/en/publications-and-events/blog-post/paris-glasgow-how-can-cop26-accelerate-advent-low-carbon-and The New Statesman: Spotlight, 17/12/2020: Moving to net zero ahead of COP 26 https://www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/2020/12/moving-to-net-zero-ahead-of-cop-26 UCL: The Bartlett: Explainer, 13/04/2021: What is COP26? https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/news/2021/apr/explainer-what-cop26 Scottish Parliament: SPICe Briefing, 31/05/2021: COP26 - An Introduction to the UN Conference of the Parties https://sp-bpr-en-prod-cdnep.azureedge.net/published/2021/6/2/65344c5f-7066-4f46-aad8-92a91a4033e5/SB%2021-28.pdf Greenpeace UK: News, 27/08/2021: Everything you need to know about the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/everything-need-to-know-cop26-climate-conference-glasgow/ British Medical Journal: Blog, 24/09/2021: Richard Smith: COP26 needs to happen in-person but must be as safe as possible https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/09/24/richard-smith-cop26-needs-to-happen-in-person-but-must-be-as-safe-as-possible/ National Geographic: Environment & Conservation, 08/10/2021: What is COP26 – and why is it a big deal? https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/cop26-explained Nature: News, 05/11/2021: COP26 climate pledges: What scientists think so far https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-03034-z The Atlantic, 12/11/2021: Climate Hype Might Be the Ticket to Decarbonization https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/11/glasgow-climate-conference-paris-spectacle/620694/ The New Statesman, 13/11/2021: The good, the bad and the ugly: What did Cop26 achieve? https://www.newstatesman.com/environment/cop26/2021/11/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-what-did-cop26-achieve The Conversation (UK), 14/11/2021: The ultimate guide to why the COP26 summit ended in failure and disappointment (despite a few bright spots) https://theconversation.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-why-the-cop26-summit-ended-in-failure-and-disappointment-despite-a-few-bright-spots-171723 Nature, 14/11/2021: ‘COP26 hasn’t solved the problem’: scientists react to UN climate deal https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-03431-4 The Economist, 14/11/2021: Was COP26 in Glasgow a success? https://www.economist.com/international/2021/11/14/was-cop26-in-glasgow-a-success
Subject Categories	Environment
Subject Tags	Climate Change
Keywords	Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC]
International Organisations	United Nations [UN]