UN's COP 26 climate summit postponed over coronavirus: UK govt

The UN's COP 26 climate change summit due to take place in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the British government has said.

"In light of the ongoing, worldwide effects of COVID-19, holding an ambitious, inclusive COP26 in November 2020 is no longer possible," the government said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021 would be announced later.

Some 30,000 people, including 200 world leaders, had been due to attend the 10-day conference for crucial talks to halt rising global temperatures.

A UN panel in 2018 concluded that avoiding global climate chaos needed a major shift in society and the world economy.

Global CO2 emissions needed to drop 45 per cent by 2030 and reach "net zero" by 2050, to limit temperature rises at 1.5 degrees Celsius - the safe cap set as a goal in the Paris accord.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa said postponement was unavoidable but that the pandemic should not divert the world from the climate change challenge.

"COVID-19 is the most urgent threat facing humanity today, but we cannot forget that climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity over the long term," she said.