You’ve probably heard or read about COP26 lately - but do you really know what it is and why it matters so much?

The United Nations (UN) Conference on Climate Change (official name for the COP Climate - Conference of the Parties) has been held annually since 1995. The bi-weekly meetings are an important space for stakeholders to discuss the global climate crisis.

These annual conferences bring together states that have signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international environmental treaty.

When is COP26?

COP26 was supposed to take place from 9 to 19 November 2020, but is now scheduled for 31 October to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Government officials are expected to discuss several issues including carbon, funding for countries vulnerable to climate change, and solutions in the first week. In the second week, the heads of state will negotiate to reach an agreement.

Why is COP26 so important?

There are two main reasons why the 2021 summit is so important.

First, Covid-19 prompted individuals and governments to pay more attention to the environment. As many countries seek to rebuild their economies after the pandemic, there has been a strong emphasis on “better construction” through a green recovery.

Second, COP26 is being seen as the successor to COP21 where the Paris Agreement was signed, arguably the biggest success in recent years. The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change, adopted in 2015. This treaty covers the mitigation, adaptation and financing of climate change.

COP26 is seen as the summit to address what has been achieved and what has not been achieved since 2015, also setting out concrete plans to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement.