It is attracting about 140 world leaders to Glasgow, along with more than 25,000 delegates, and seeking to raise more than £73 billion a year to support developing countries.
But, as the world slowly emerges from the pandemic, the United Nations Cop26 climate conference is likely to be a bit of a damp squib in terms of putting cash in the tills of local businesses.
A provisional study carried out for The Sunday Times by Inverness-based economist Tony Mackay estimates that the conference will be worth about £56 million to Glasgow’s economy in direct spending. By contrast, the Edinburgh Festival is estimated to generate more than £500m in direct spending for Scotland’s capital and surrounding area — according to a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research.