COP26: Barack Obama to attend climate change summit in Glasgow

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Barack ObamaImage source, Getty Images

Former US President Barack Obama has confirmed he will attend the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.

He will join current president Joe Biden and more than 120 heads of state at the conference, which gets under way on 31 October.

Mr Obama is expected to meet young climate change activists and highlight their work around the world.

COP26 will be the biggest climate change conference since landmark talks in Paris in 2015.

A spokesman for Mr Obama said he would use his trip to Scotland to "lay out the important progress made in the five years since the Paris Agreement took effect".

He will also "urge more robust action going forward by all of us - governments, the private sector, philanthropy and civil society".

Confirmation of Mr Obama's visit will be seen as a huge boost for the UN summit, which be held at the Scottish Exhibition Campus from 31 October until 12 November.

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Image caption,

The summit will take place at the SEC campus in Glasgow

Boris Johnson and other leaders of the G7 nations are set to lay out plans to cut emissions causing climate change.

On Friday, after weeks of hesitation, Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison also confirmed he will be at the summit.

But there have been reports China's President Xi Jinping would not be attending, although the country will be represented by its government officials.

Pope Francis announced earlier this month that he will not travel to Scotland for the conference after earlier saying he would like to do so.

About 25,000 delegates are expected to attend the Glasgow summit.

Tens of thousands of campaigners and businesses will also be there to hold events and stage protests.

The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.

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