On Sunday world leaders started to gather in Glasgow, Scotland for the start of the UN Cop26 summit which will continue until 12 November.

This year’s summit is regarded as ‘a make or break moment’ and a ‘seismic event’ in terms of saving the planet from the disastrous effects of climate change.

According to a draft G20 communique the world’s 20 richest countries are expected to take urgent action to stop the effects of climate change. Leaders are expected to agree to take urgent steps to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It is expected that the global temperature will continue to rise if no further cuts in emissions are agreed on.

The purpose of the summit is to bring people together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The diverse interests of the 197 signatories to the UNFCCC is expected to make it difficult to consent to the next steps to stem global warming.

Unlike past summits, the summit is not expected to achieve the signing of a treaty.

On Friday leaders of Europe’s biggest oil and gas companies, who have been criticised for being absent from Cop26, stated that only governments can effectively curb fossil fuel demand.