The coronavirus pandemic is slowing not only the economy, but also climate diplomacy. The summit in Glasgow, Scotland was considered particularly important.
London / Glasgow (dpa) - The United Nations climate conference is postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. This was announced by the British government. The conference was supposed to take place in Glasgow, Scotland in November.
The decision was made jointly by the United Nations and the two organizers, Great Britain and Italy, the message said. The conference is now scheduled to be held next year. The exact date has not yet been determined.
"In light of the ongoing global effects of Covid-19, it is no longer possible to hold an ambitious, inclusive COP26 in November 2020," said the rationale. COP26 is the abbreviation for the next climate conference.
"The world is currently facing an unprecedented global challenge and states are rightly focusing their efforts to save lives and fight Covid-19. That is why we have decided to postpone the climate conference," he said British Minister for the Economy and Energy, Alok Sharma.
This year's UN climate summit was particularly important: Until then, the states should make their climate protection plans more ambitious. In total, they are still far from being sufficient to meet the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to well below two degrees.
The Petersberg Climate Dialogue, an annual international meeting in Berlin, is scheduled to take place despite the corona crisis. The meeting was moved to the internet. The climate dialogue, which Chancellor Angela Merkel also mostly attends, is planned for April 27 and 28.