Question

To ask the President of COP26, if he will publish his plans and objectives for the British stewardship of the COP process after COP26 in Glasgow.

The UK will formally take up the presidency of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 31 October 2021 in the opening plenary of the conference. The primary responsibility of the UK as the COP26 presidency is to preside over the meetings of the conference and steward the formal negotiations to a successful conclusion.

Once confirmed as the COP26 President, I will remain President of the COP until late the following year, when the next presidency takes over at the commencement of the next conference. The UK will fulfil its formal mandate during this year in chairing the COP Bureau, and working with the incoming presidency to prepare for COP27. Specific details of plans and objectives for the UK’s presidency year will be forthcoming after COP26, once the outcomes and agreements reached by the 197 Parties of the UNFCCC are known.