Climate summit on hold, climate emergency still on

Commenting on official reports that the COP26 climate talks have been postponed, John Sauven, executive director at Greenpeace UK said: 

“The decision to postpone the climate talks in Glasgow was inevitable given the health emergency the world is currently facing. But while the summit has been delayed, the climate emergency can’t be put on hold. The government stimulus packages will hold the key to whether this emergency significantly delays or advances progress on tackling the climate emergency.

It’s during moments of crisis like this that what is possible starts to dramatically shift. The health of the planet and individual health need to be looked at as a whole. The pandemic has clearly shown that we are all affected and that we can only solve these challenges if we act together as a global community. Neither the pandemic nor the climate crisis stops at national borders. And that without governments, scientists and civil society working together neither Covid-19 nor the climate and nature crisis will be solved. By embracing this we are more likely to get a successful deal at the postponed climate and biodiversity summits next year.”

ENDS

Contact: Greenpeace UK Press Office – press.uk@greenpeace.org