Since 1992 every country in the world has been treaty bound to avoid taking actions that contribute further to the precarious state of our planet brought about by climate change and to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Each year since then countries’ representatives have met at the UN Climate Change Conference or 'Convention of the Parties' (COP).

Initially COP was seen as only being of interest to a dedicated few who enjoyed the minutiae of policy documents and the annual convention rarely made the mainstream media other than following the COPs in Copenhagen in 2009 and in Paris in 2015. And it was the Paris convention that was pivotal in pushing climate change way up the political and social agendas; countries committed to hold global heating to no more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Since then the annual COP has gained far more media attention and governments are now being held accountable by their citizens.

The postponed 26th iteration of the event is to take place in Glasgow later this year so the eyes of the world are on the UK and our efforts to reduce climate change.

The UK Presidency at COP26 has five priorities which COP26 president Alok Sharma outlined  last year as follows:

1. Adaptation and resilience, helping people, economies and the environment adapt and prepare for the impacts of climate change.

2. Nature, safeguarding ecosystems, protecting natural habitats and keeping carbon out of the atmosphere. Promoting nature-based solutions.



3. Energy transition, seizing the massive opportunities of cheaper renewables and storage.
Cleaning our air,and helping economies shift away from a legacy of polluting fossil generation.

4. Clean road transport, accelerating the move to zero-carbon road transport.



5. To make this all possible, unleashing the finance which will power the shift to a zero-carbon economy. From solar panels, to electric vehicles and tree planting, it is often finance that turns good intentions into action.

COP is just one of many acronyms that are common parlance across the energy and sustainability sector. To help demystify some of the terms we have created a useful Energy & Sustainability Glossary.

Further information

Contact Danielle Corker or Nick Green 

Find out more about COP26