COP26: Barack Obama stays in Edinburgh while attending Glasgow climate summit as former US President

Former President of the United States Barack Obama is staying in the Scottish capital while he attends the Glasgow climate summit COP26.

It is understood that he flew into Glasgow on Sunday evening but is staying at a hotel in Edinburgh.

He has followed in the footsteps of several world leaders, including President Joe Biden, by staying in the capital for the event.

During his eight years in office Obama put in place various policies around climate change – many of which his successor Donald Trump attempted to remove – including signing the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016.

Last week he shared on Twitter: “Five years ago, the Paris Agreement went into effect.

"Paris provided an important framework in the fight against climate change, but it wasn’t enough.

"That’s why I’ll be speaking in Glasgow on Monday about the road ahead and what young people in particular can do to help.”

The 60-year-old is speaking at the summit on Monday at around 2pm and is expected to lead a roundtable discussion with a small group of young people attending the conference.

Former US President Barack Obama attends day nine of the COP26 at SECC. (Picture credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

In his speech he will lay out the important progress made in the five years since the Paris agreement took effect, highlight the leadership of young people around the globe, and urge more robust action going forward by all of us - governments, the private sector, philanthropy, and civil society", according to a statement from his spokeswoman Hannah Hankins.

The length and precise plans for the rest of his stay are unclear, including whether he will stay for leisure activities after the climate summit has formally concluded.

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