COP26 President celebrates crucial climate partnership during visit to Italy
COP26 President Alok Sharma highlights strong partnership and collaboration with Italy on this year’s UN Climate Conference as he completes a two-day visit to the country.
- Alok Sharma, COP26 President-Designate met with Italian Ecological Transition Minister, Roberto Cingolani and other senior cabinet ministers
- Italy’s partnership on COP26 will be crucial in making Glasgow climate conference a success
- Hosted a meeting with IFAD and FAO on promoting adaptation and resilience to combat climate change
COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma, praised the partnership between the UK and Italy on COP26 today as he completed a two-day visit to Italy’s capital, Rome.
Mr Sharma met with Roberto Cingolani, the recently appointed Minister for Ecological Transition, as well as other senior ministers in the Italian Cabinet; including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi Di Maio; President of the Lower House of Parliament, President Fico; President of the Upper House of Parliament, President Casellati; Minister of Finance and Economy, Daniele Franco; Minister for Economic Development, Giancarlo Giorgetti; and Minister for Sustainable Transport and Infrastructure, Enrico Giovannini.
These meetings come at an important time to strengthen international collaboration as the COP Presidency seeks to promote its four goals ahead of the conference: limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, adapting to protect communities and natural habitats, mobilising climate finance and working together to accelerate action.
With the UK and Italy as official COP26 Presidency Partners on climate change, and with Italy hosting both the upcoming Pre-COP, the Youth COP and the G20, the two countries will continue to work closely together ahead of COP26 in Glasgow in November, and help to raise climate ambition with all our international partners.
Speaking after his visit Mr Sharma said:
Placing climate and nature at the heart of this year’s G7, G20 and COP26 Presidencies, will be vital if we are to keep the 1.5 degree celsius temperature limit.
The UK is firmly committed to working alongside our COP26 partner Italy to respond to the calls from young people and encourage all countries to raise the ambition of their national climate plans and deliver on the promise of the Paris Agreement.
In addition to his meetings with government officials, Mr Sharma also hosted a meeting with the IFAD President and FAO Director-General to discuss ways of working through the UN System to further adaptation and resilience to climate change for countries most vulnerable to its impact. Mr Sharma also met with youth leaders to hear about their perceptions on climate change and climate action.
Notes to editors
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The COP26 President Designate visited Italy on 10 and 11 May. Prior to Italy, he made an official visit to the Vatican City on the morning of 10 May.
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Following his visits to the Vatican and Italy, he will now fly to Spain.
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Italy will be hosting both the Pre-COP and the Youth COP in Milan, at the end of September. Italy will also be hosting the G20 Summit at the end of October.
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In addition to hosting COP26 in Glasgow in November, the UK will also host the G7 Summit, to be held in Cornwall, in mid-June.
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A joint statement from the COP President-Designate and Minister Cingolani was issued today.