The next two days of The United Nations-led climate talks in Glasgow will be an opportunity to hear from nearly 100 heads of state and government. on the steps they plan to take to address climate change.
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson was one of the first speakers, welcoming more than 100 guests to the World Leaders Summit, followed by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres. Other dignitaries, including Prince Charles and David attenborough, the nature documentarian, they are also handing out addresses. Standard conference rate, there was a cultural performance.
In the afternoon, the leaders are giving short speeches that present “concrete actions and credible plans” through Tuesday, organizers said. Presidents and Prime Ministers will have time to break into individual meetings.
The focus will be on what the leaders of the world’s richest nations, known as the Group of 20. They concluded a meeting in Rome on Sunday and agreed on language they hoped would frame the talks in Glasgow. The speeches will be opportunities for them to describe actions in the real world.
The list of speakers includes President Biden, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy and President Narendra Modi of India. It is noteworthy that President Xi Jinping of China will not appear in person.
The speeches are a preamble to concrete negotiations that diplomats and climate experts will participate in over the next two weeks, hoping to advance a comprehensive plan to tackle climate change.
COP stands for Conference of the Parties, with “parties” referring, in diplomatic language, to the 197 nations that agreed to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992. This is the 26th time that countries have met under the convention, therefore COP26.
Shortly before traveling to the summit, Biden, who was also scheduled to make a statement Monday, said he would “be there with the bells on.”