The crucial 26 UN conference of the parties (COP) was originally scheduled to take place in Glasgow on November 2020. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it had to be postponed until next year.
As governments around the world struggle to contain the spread of the virus, the UN confirmed that the meeting of over 26,000 attendees would have to be delayed until next year, to ensure all parties can focus on the issues to be discussed and adequately prepare. The specific date of the rescheduled conference would be decided in due course.
The COP26 was heralded as being the "most important meeting of minds since the Paris Agreement was signed" and planned to accelerate global efforts to act on climate change, build resilience and lower emissions.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, who is also the president of COP26, said:"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 in the future."
The UN Climate Change Secretary Patricia Espinosa said the pandemic "is the most urgent threat facing humanity today" but stressed that it is crucial to remember that climate change is also an essential issue to tackle. She also added: "Soon, economies will restart. This is a chance for nations to recover better, to include the most vulnerable in those plans, and chance to shape the 21-century economy in ways that are clean, green healthy, just, safe and more resilient.
