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Learn moreCMS lawyers can provide future-facing advice for your business across a variety of specialisms and industries, worldwide.
Apart from offering expert legal consultancy for local jurisdictions, CMS partners up with you to effectively navigate the complexities of global business and legal environments.
Our CMS Expert Guides provide you with in-depth legal research and insights.
Learn moreCMS Press Office
Learn moreCMS Spotlight: join our events and webinars!
Learn moreThe ‘COP’ is an annual global summit on climate change held by the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The summit is known as the Conference of the Parties, or COP for short. This year’s meeting will be the 26th annual summit, postponed from 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty intended to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system, primarily by stabilising greenhouse gas emissions. Parties to the UNFCCC are required to:
Key landmarks on previous COPs include:
Yes, but many key decisions were deferred to COP26.
The principal aim of COP25 was to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement – an operating manual to govern the mechanisms required under the Agreement and to enable it to become fully operational. However, the parties were unable to reach consensus on key points related to the rules for Article 6 on international carbon markets and cooperation measures. These rules will cover bilateral cooperation on emission cuts, a new international carbon market for the trade of emissions cuts and a framework for climate cooperation including on development aid.
Instead, the parties agreed a text known as ‘Chile Madrid Time for Action’, which sets out a compromise agreement stressing the need for urgent deeper cuts in greenhouse gases. Enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) were submitted by 73 countries, and some 630 global investors delivered a statement to governments on climate change urging the phasing out of thermal coal power and ending subsidies for fossil fuels.
Other matters discussed at COP25 include:
The UK and Italy share the presidency of COP26. Host nations play a pivotal role at COPs, chairing many of the negotiations.
Alok Sharma is the President for COP 26. He is responsible for delivering the summit, setting the agenda for the summit and presiding over negotiations. Mr Sharma is a former UK secretary of state both for international development and for business, energy and industrial strategy.
The first week of talks will mainly involve technical and detailed negotiations. There are different types of talks:
In week two, the focus shifts to a high-level segment, where a number of ministerial round table discussions take place, aiming to finalise negotiated decisions and facilitate agreement on the most challenging issues. This segment also features statements from heads of state, governments and high-ranking UN officials.
Running parallel with the negotiations, the presidency programme for COP26 will focus on changing daily topics such as finance, energy, nature and transport. Cross-cutting themes like science, innovation and inclusivity will run throughout the programme.
In the run-up to COP26, a number of key events will provide further insight on what we can expect in Glasgow, including the UN General Assembly, New York Climate Week, the Pre-COP 26 Summit in Milan, the first (virtual) session of the UN Biodiversity Conference hosted by China, and the G20 Summit in Rome.