COP26 opens in Glasgow, Scotland, on October 31, 2021. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Alok Sharma, the British government minister chairing the Glasgow talks, called on countries to prevent the catastrophic impacts of global warming.

He said the COP26 climate negotiations are "the last, best hope" to keep alive the hope of limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. 

The 13-day summit will see negotiators try to tackle issues left hanging since the 2015 Paris climate accord was forged, and find ways to ratchet up their efforts to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees C in this century.