Response to the postponement of COP26

Responding to the postponement of COP26 yesterday Lord Nicholas Stern, an adviser to the UK COP26 Presidency and Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said:

“This is a welcome and understandable decision by the international community that has been driven by the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now clear that the preparatory intersessional scheduled for June will now have to be postponed until at least the autumn, which means that the main summit could not take place in November. There is an opportunity in the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis to create a new approach to growth that is sustainable, inclusive and resilient. It can build on the understanding of a common humanity and shared vulnerability. Now is the time to forge a new internationalism and move from this crisis to a much more sustainable and resilient economy in closer harmony with the natural world. That will be the challenge and opportunity of COP26 next year. We must use this time well.”

For more information please contact me n.brannigan@lse.ac.uk +44 (0) 7933997989