COP26 is fast approaching, with Glasgow set to host an array of world leaders at this year's conference. 

In November, thousands of people will flock to Scotland's largest city to attend the COP26 climate conference. 

Over 12 days, world leaders will discuss their approach to tackling climate change and make renewed commitments to implementing change. 

Here's what you need to know about what COP26 means, when it starts and what will happen...

What does COP26 mean? 

COP stands for Conference of the Parties, which refers to the coming together of 197 nations who are members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

COP is a yearly UN conference in which these member states gather to discuss global efforts to prevent climate change and make commitments to stabilise global warming. 

They have been held every year since COP1 in 1995, with the exception of 2020 when COP26 was postponed due the pandemic. 

Now in its 26th year, COP26 will be held in Glasgow and hosted by the UK and Italy, who are the joint presidents for this year's conference. 

When does COP26 start? 

COP26 will start on Sunday October 31 2021 and run over 12 days until Friday November 12. 

During this time, Glasgow will host some of the biggest names in politics including Joe Biden who confirmed his attendance earlier this year. 

Climate activist Greta Thunberg, who has spoken out against governments efforts to flight climate change, is yet to confirm if she will attend.

Where in Glasgow will COP26 take place?

COP26 will be held at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow.  

What will happen at COP26?

Over the course of COP26, world leaders, climate experts and campaigners will aim to agree on a coordinated approach to tackling climate change. 

The Paris Agreement, which was signed at COP in 2015, is an international treaty which aims to reduce the world's carbon emissions and therefore prevent the earth's temperature from rising over 2 degrees. 

Every nation who signed the treaty must create climate specific goals to contribute to reducing the world's carbon emissions and their own carbon footprint.

These goals are then reviewed every 5 years, with the first five year review since signing the treaty taking place at COP26. 

COP26 is therefore very significant as it is the first time since signing the treaty that countries are required to extend and set out more ambitious goals.