COP26 Summit, Glasgow

COP26

This week, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, alongside The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will attend a number of events at the COP26 Summit in Glasgow.

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow is taking place from 31st October to 12th November 2021. The Summit brings parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Find out more about COP26 here.

Monday 1st November

At the Opening Ceremony of COP26, The Prince of Wales, accompanied by The Duchess of Cornwall, addressed world leaders along with the Prime Minister of the UK Boris Johnson and the Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi.

His Royal Highness said:

I can only urge you, as the world’s decision-makers, to find practical ways of overcoming differences so we can all get down to work, together, to rescue this precious planet and save the threatened future of our young people.

Read HRH's speech in full here.

Following the Opening Ceremony, The Prince held a number of bilateral meetings with world leaders, including the Prime Minister of India, the President of Colombia, the President of Slovakia, the President of France and the Prime Minister of Barbados.

Meanwhile, The Duchess of Cornwall visited Wallacewell Primary School to meet pupils learning about sustainability and climate change. During the visit, Her Royal Highness presented the children with ‘It’s Up to Us: A Children's Terra Carta for Nature, People and Planet’, a new children's book by author Christopher Lloyd, The Prince of Wales and 33 international artists from around the world. Based on His Royal Highness's Terra Carta, the book takes young readers on a voyage through Nature, the threats we face and an action plan for the future.

Later, The Prince co-hosted the Great Green Wall (GGW) session with the President of France and the President of Mauritania. The session discussed The Restoration Agenda in Africa to 2030 and the Great Green Wall, an African-led movement with an ambition to grow an 8000km natural wonder of the world across the entire width of Africa.

At Clydeside Distillery, The Prince of Wales this evening joined The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to host a reception for key members of The SMI and the winners and finalists of the first Earthshot Prize Awards. The SMI and Earthshot Prize together demonstrate how innovation and a shift in market structures can lead to a more sustainable lifestyle. 

Tuesday 2nd November

On his second day at COP26, The Prince of Wales met representatives from Indigenous Peoples groups ahead of the Action on Forests and Land Use event.

The event aims to provide a platform for leaders to commit to ambitious actions that will halt and reverse forest loss. 

Speaking at the Action on Forests and Land Use event, The Prince said:

The virtuous circle of Nature is something the world’s indigenous peoples hold sacred and understand only too well, and is why we should listen to, and learn from, their profound intuitive wisdom.

Read HRH's speech in full here.

The Prince later attended The Commonwealth Leaders’ Reception, which brought opportunity to bring together Commonwealth Leaders for the first time since the pandemic. During the reception, the important role of the Commonwealth at COP26 was highlighted, building on the Commonwealth’s Proposed Leaders Declaration on Climate Change. 

Wednesday 3rd November

On His Royal Highness's third day at COP26 in Glasgow, The Prince started the day taking in the new McLaren XE car! McLaren Racing was the first F1 team to be certified carbon neutral ten years ago.

Emma Gilmour was announced today to be McLaren XE’s first female driver who will be entering into Extreme E, an electric motorsport which only races in remote corners of the world and across terrains in which it can raise climate awareness.

Later, The Prince presented awards at the inaugural Terra Carta Seal Awards, which recognises the work of global companies driving innovation and demonstrating their commitment to the creation of genuinely sustainable markets.

44 companies have been awarded the Terra Carta Seal across a variety of industries and countries who have committed themselves to accelerated action towards sustainability over the decade to 2030.

Addressing the winners and guests, His Royal Highness said:

The Terra Carta Seal uniquely acknowledges that each industry faces its own particular challenges in its transition to a sustainable future and they are all at different stages of their journey. Here, all industries and all companies must be supported as they take the critical steps required to move in a more positive direction.

Read HRH's speech in full here.

The Prince of Wales also attended Sustainable Market Initiative CEO, Stella McCartney's fashion installation, showcasing next generation sustainable materials.

Thursday 4th November

Another busy day for HRH at Kevingrove COP26, Glasgow!

The Prince attended the SMI's Terra Carta Design Lab with Sir Jony Ive, in collaboration with the Royal College of Art. The Terra Carta Design Lab aims to highlight the urgent need to focus on the creative collaboration between art, science, design and engineering to provide sustainable solutions to the climate crisis.

His Royal Highness later met with World Mayors to discuss the impact of climate change.

In the evening, The Prince hosted a reception for Chief Negotiators of COP26 to thank them for their efforts so far and the work they are doing to reach an outcome that gives hope for a sustainable future. 

Friday 5th November

On his final day at COP26, The Prince visited the new Network Rail Hydrogen Train. Network Rail, Britain’s rail infrastructure owner and operator, is working in collaboration with Vivarail and Porterbrook to showcase two exclusive green alternative fuel trains to the world at Glasgow Central station during COP26. The Vivarail train is battery powered and the Porterbrook HydroFLEX is the world’s first hybrid hydrogen train that can be powered by overhead electric wires, battery or hydrogen fuel cells.

His Royal Highness also visited the CycloneCC technology at Carbon Clean. Launched on 28 October 2021, CycloneCC will make carbon capture simple, affordable, and scalable – bringing it within reach of a huge number of industrial emitters and helping deliver industrial decarbonisation targets.