COP26

Alok Sharma is a British politician (Conservative Party), serving as President for COP26 since 2021.

The World Leaders Summit kicked off the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) which was held in Glasgow (Scotland, United Kingdom) from 31 October to 13 November 2021.

The video was posted on 31 October 2021 by The Telegraph, a British newspaper. Its title is:

'Cop26 is our last best hope': Alok Sharma opens climate summit in Glasgow

Speech transcript:

Friends, in each of our countries we are seeing the devastating impact of a changing climate.

Floods, cyclones, wildfires, record temperatures.

We know that our shared planet is changing for the worse.

And we can only address that together, through this international system.

And we know what we need to do.

Because six years ago, in Paris we agreed our shared goals.

We said we would protect people and nature from the effects of climate change.

We said we would get finance flowing to climate action.

And we said we would limit the rise in global temperature to well below two degrees pursuing efforts towards 1.5.

The rapidly changing climate is sounding an alarm to the world, to step up on adaptation, to address loss and damage, and to act now to keep 1.5 alive.

We know that this COP, COP26, is our last best hope to keep 1.5 in reach.

And I know that we have an unprecedented negotiations agenda ahead of us.

But I believe this international system can deliver.

It must deliver.

And as COP President I am committed to promoting transparency and inclusivity.

And I will lead this conference in accordance with the draft rules of procedure, and with the utmost respect for the party-driven nature of our process.

In that spirit I believe that we can resolve the outstanding issues. We can move the negotiations forward. And we can launch a decade of every increasing ambition and action.

And, together, we can seize the enormous opportunities for green growth, for good green jobs, for cheaper, cleaner power.

But we need to hit the ground running to develop the solutions that we need.

And that work, my friends, starts today.

And we will succeed.

Or fail.

As one.

Astronauts speak of the intense emotion they feel when looking back at Earth from space. Seeing it gleaming through the darkness of the cosmos.

Incredible, improbable and infinitely precious.

And if we act now, and we act together, we can protect our precious planet.

So let’s come together over these two weeks.

And ensure that where Paris promised, Glasgow delivers.

Thank you.

Vocabulary help

adaptation: the process of changing to suit different conditions

unprecedented: never having happened or existed in the past

negotiations: the process of discussing sth. with someone in order to reach an agreement with them

to hit the ground running: to immediately work hard and successfully at a new activity

improbable: not likely to happen or be true