Glasgow in bid to host climate change summit

UK: The UK government has chosen Glasgow as the venue in a bid to host next year’s UN climate change conference, COP26.

The UK is bidding to secure the presidency and host the COP26 summit over two weeks at the end of 2020 in partnership with Italy.

A total of 30,000 delegates and leaders from across the world are expected to attend the summit next year

The government sees Glasgow as “the ideal location to showcase the diverse culture and world-leading innovation that the UK has to offer”. At the same time it could boost Scottish business and drive investment in the region.

Five years on from the Paris Agreement, the COP26 Climate Change Conference is the first major test of the international community’s commitment to scale-up efforts to reduce emissions over time. It will shine a spotlight on the action taken since 2015 to keep climate change within manageable levels, and drive future action.

The proposed venue is the state-of-the-art Scottish Events Campus (SEC), with events across the UK leading up to it as part of a “Four Nations” UKCOP. Selected for its world-class facilities, the SEC is just outside Glasgow city centre on the banks of the River Clyde. It will host 30,000 delegates from around the world, including climate experts, business leaders and citizens from across the UK.

“As one of the UK’s most sustainable cities, with a record for hosting high-profile international events, Glasgow is the right choice to showcase the UK’s commitment to the environment,” claimed Claire Perry, the former minister for energy and clean growth and recently named the UK nominated president for COP26.