Climate change: What is Mock COP26 all about?

Mock COP26 is a huge international virtual climate change conference which begins on 19 November.

It is happening online over two weeks and is being led by young people from countries all around the world.

It has been set up by activists who want to discuss urgent climate change issues ahead of the UN conference COP26 which has been delayed until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

They will discuss the problems the world is facing and come up with a list of demands for world leaders to act on. They say leaders across the world need to do more to tackle the problems facing the planet now.

United Nations Climate Change Conferences

The first Conference of the Parties (COP) was held in Berlin, Germany in 1995.

They are really important events where representatives from lots of different countries meet to discuss climate change issues and ways of tackling them.

In 2015, at the COP21 meeting in France, countries signed up to the Paris Agreement which promised to cut harmful emissions and try and limit the rise in global temperature.

This year's convention COP26 was supposed to be held in Glasgow in November but has been delayed until 2021 because of coronavirus restrictions.

Organisers of Mock COP26 want people from all around the world to work together for global solutions to climate change

Young activists

Luca, 15, from Australia, is one of the organisers, she said: "This conference will be a statement to world leaders from young people. COP negotiations have consistently let us down.

"We understand that we will be the ones facing the devastation of the escalating climate crisis if this ignorance from decision makers continues"

As temperatures increase, melting ice sheets are causing sea levels to rise around the world.

Lavinia, 14, from Italy, said: "We are living in a defining moment in history. Whatever we do, or don't do right now, will have consequences not only for us living right now but on those who will live in five, 10, 15, 100 years from now."

Drought is a huge problem for farmers trying to grow food

Luna, 14, from Israel, said: "The goal of the conference is to say to young people that they can do it, that they can raise their voices and their demands to politicians.

"Hopefully politicians can take us seriously and listen to us."

As the world gets hotter, wildfires are more common and more intense

Your thoughts

What issues do you think should be talked about at Mock COP26. What would your message for world leaders be? Do you think climate change is an important issue and if so what should be done about it?

Let us know in the comments below.