Amid the growing frequency of natural disasters, climate change has steadily moved up the global agenda, and at the end of the month a climate summit will begin that experts say could prove decisive in determining whether humankind can avoid catastrophic global warming.

Between Oct. 31 and Nov. 12, Glasgow in Scotland will host a United Nations climate change conference that is expected to draw up to 25,000 participants, including more than 100 world leaders. COP26, which will discuss the specific steps nations are taking to halt disastrous global warming, is considered the most important conference of its type since the 2015 climate change conference in Paris.

Why is COP26 significant?