President Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to the island this morning (November 04) after taking part in the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12 to discuss climate change and to talk over how countries implement their strategies to tackle the climate crisis. November 01 and 02 are set aside for the World Leaders’ Summit.

The COP26 – the UN Climate Change Conference – is a critical moment in the fight against climate change and the conference will be attended by around 25,000 people representing a wide range of fields, including Heads of State, government representatives, scholars and businessmen from 197 countries. It is reported that this is the largest conference ever held in the United Kingdom.

Foreign Minister Prof G L Peiris, Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera, State Minister of Solar, Wind and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development Duminda Dissanayake, Principal Advisor to the President Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, Foreign Secretary Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage and Secretary to the Ministry of Environment Dr Anil Jasinghe accompanied the President.

Addressing the World Leaders Summit, President Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka is proud to be a co-lead of the “Global Energy Compact for No New Coal Power.”

He also addressed a special conference organized by Sri Lanka on the sidelines of COP 26, under the theme “Rediscovering Nitrogen: Solutions and Synergies for Climate Change, Health, Biodiversity and Circular Economy”.

President Rajapaksa also held fruitful discussions with heads of state and representatives with the aim of promoting trade, tourism and education sectors.