Eyes of the world turn to Scotland as Cop26 environmental summit begins

The world turns and, today, the world turns to Scotland.

The 26th Conference of the Parties, or Cop26, is the latest summit of world leaders aimed at slowing global warming.

Cop is the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Its aim is to cut global carbon emissions by 45% from 2010 levels by the end of this decade in order to hold the rise in the earth’s temperature to 1.5°C.

The Cop has met annually for two weeks of talks since the first gathering in Berlin in March 1995 – with last year’s meeting taking place in Madrid – but emissions continue to rise.

This year’s summit in Glasgow has been described as the last best hope for the planet by US climate envoy John Kerry.

He said: “Glasgow is coming at a point where these scientists have told us we have about nine years remaining within which to make the most critical decisions. Those decisions have got to really start in earnest and in a significant sum in Glasgow.

“We have to get on the road here and we’ve been talking about it for 30 years.

“So this is really what Glasgow is about, the last best hope to do what the scientists tell us we must which is to avoid the worst consequences of climate by making decisions now and implementing them now.”

Cop26 president Alok Sharma has said heads of state must stick with the goals agreed at the Paris summit in 2015 when world leaders vowed to limit global temperature rises to well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C.

Sharma said: “I think Glasgow has to be the moment that the world acts. We’ve got some commitments, but we need to go further.”

More than 100 leaders and around 25,000 delegates will be in Glasgow for the 12-day summit starting today.