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Vital Cop26 climate talks could be derailed by coronavirus
Preparations for Glasgow summit already hampered by travel restrictions
Concern is growing among campaigners that vital UN climate talks will be derailed by the coronavirus outbreak, while government officials are working to find ways round the problem.
This year's UN talks on the climate are the most important since the Paris agreement in 2015, as the world is now far adrift of the Paris goals and the Cop26 summit – scheduled for Glasgow this November – is seen as one of the last chances to put nations back on track to avoid climate breakdown.
But while the talks will take place over a fortnight in November, the frantic round of global diplomacy required to reach a settlement is already under way and is being affected by the outbreak of the virus. Campaigners fear that preparations are being hampered by both the travel restrictionsand the urgent demands the outbreak is putting on governments' time and resources.
China, the world's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, is the key player in the climate talks. As the US is withdrawing from the Paris accord, whether or not China takes on strong new commitments on carbon will help determine whether Cop26 (the conference of the parties) is a success. But with the coronavirus taking hold across the country, the climate is likely be much less of a priority.
Italy also plays a vital role in this year's talks as the country is officially co-host of Cop26 and some key pre-meetings are planned there.
Normally, at this stage before crunch climate talks, officials and politicians from the host nation would be convening meetings in key countries.
Campaigners were already concerned that the UK had got off to a slow start, beca
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