Summary

  • The Queen urges world leaders to "achieve true statesmanship" and create a "safer, stabler future" for the planet

  • She says in a video message they should "rise above the politics of the moment" as they meet at COP26 in Glasgow

  • The climate change conference's first major deal is struck as a group of world leaders promise to stop deforestation by 2030

  • Meanwhile, India pledges a net zero target for 2070 - 20 years later than the summit target set by Boris Johnson

  • Separately, China also fails to make any new major commitments on climate change at the conference

  • Naturalist David Attenborough says carbon emissions must be halved this decade to keep warming limited to 1.5C by the end of the century

  • Under present targets we are on track for warming of 2.7C by 2100 - which the UN says would result in "climate catastrophe"

Live Reporting

Edited by George Bowden

  1. What to expect from today’s events

    People walking past the SSE Hydro, part of the COP26 venueGetty Images

    Today is the first of the two-day world leaders’ summit, which will be led by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

    The opening ceremony will be held at 12:00 GMT, and you’ll be able to watch it live here. Starting in the early afternoon, leaders will address the summit.

    Here are some key things to look out for:

    • As host nation, the UK wants all countries to commit to net zero emissions by 2050 - as well as big reductions by 2030
    • It also wants specific pledges on ending coal, petrol cars and protecting forests
    • Developing countries want to finally receive $100bn in promised annual funds to help them adapt to rising temperatures

    Boris Johnson, known abroad for his jokes and colourful language, set a serious tone in an interview with the BBC.

    He warned that the world has run down the clock by waiting to combat climate change and is now at “one minute to midnight”.

    World leaders need to move from “aspiration to action”, he said, and an ambitious outcome from the summit was still “in the balance”.

  2. The first big day at COP26

    Protest at COP26 in GlasgowGetty Images

    Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the climate conference in Glasgow. It’s day two of COP26 but Sunday was mostly ceremonial. Today is when things start to get serious, with more than 100 world leaders taking part.

    The organisers of the conference hope countries will put forward “high level ambition and action” towards securing global net zero emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. They also want efforts to help protect communities at risk and mobilise financial aid to developing nations.

    It’ll be a busy day, but we are here to help you make sense of it. Our correspondents and experts in Glasgow, across the UK and around the world will put the announcements into context and explain what they mean to all of us.