World climate talks delayed due to coronavirus
A major UN climate summit scheduled for November in Glasgow has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“The world is facing an unprecedented global challenge and countries are rightly focusing on fighting Covid-19,” British lawmaker and COP26 president Alok Sharma wrote on Twitter late on Wednesday.
“Due to this, COP26 has been postponed.” The conference was set for 9-20 November in the Scottish city.
This decision was taken jointly by the United Nations, Britain and partners Italy, the conference said on its official Twitter feed.
“In light of the ongoing, worldwide effects of COVID-19, holding an ambitious, inclusive COP26 in November 2020 is no longer possible,” the statement read further.
Sharma added: “The world is currently facing an unprecedented global challenge and countries are rightly focusing their efforts on saving lives and fighting COVID-19. That is why we have decided to reschedule COP26.”
“We will continue working tirelessly with our partners to deliver the ambition needed to tackle the climate crisis and I look forward to agreeing a new date for the conference,” the COP26 presidemy said.
Read also: Merkel and German state premiers agree to prolong virus restrictions
The climate summit was due to firm up more ambitious climate protection plans.
Governments were expected to present renewed, ambitious commitments to reduce greenhouse gases at the meeting in Glasgow in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The commitments pledged so far are still far from being sufficient to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to well below two degrees, according to the organizers. (dpa)
