The UN Climate Change Conference COP 26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom is a crucial opportunity to achieve pivotal, transformational change in global climate policy and action. It is a credibility test for global efforts to address climate change and it is where Parties must make considerable progress to reach consensus on issues they have been discussing for several years. COP 26 comes against the background of widespread, rapid and intensifying climate change impacts, which are already impacting every region on Earth. Also, COP 26 comes against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the urgent need to build back better for present future generations to ensure a safe future.
The meeting comprises the twenty-sixth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26), the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 16), and the third session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 3). It will be held at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, United Kingdom, from 31 October to 12 November 2021.
COP 26 will be presided over by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat is working with the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to make the conference as safe and as inclusive as possible.
Logistical information for participants
Note: Updated information will be posted here as it becomes available. Please check back regularly.
The secretariat has continued to receive feedback on the matter of access to rooms. Considering the concerns raised, the secretariat has made the following adjustments to ensure every Party has at least one seat:
For meeting rooms, Parties will have one nameplate per Party available to access the room. It is the priority that all Parties have at least one seat.
Additionally, negotiation groups will have one nameplate per group available to access the room. Group nameplates will be allocated to the following Groups: G77/China, and its sub-groups (ABU, African Group, AILAC, ALBA, AOSIS, Arab Group, BASIC, Coalitional for Rainforest Nations, LDCs, and LMDCs), EIG, EU and UG. In case the room is full, and some Parties have not been able to take a seat, group representatives will be requested to follow the meeting from the COP26 Platform.
Where applicable, there will be one nameplate available for each observer constituency, as well as one nameplate for IGOs and one nameplate for other United Nations organizations. In case the room is full, and some Parties or negotiation groups have not been able to take a seat, observers will be requested to follow the meeting from the COP26 Platform.
If there are seats available 10 minutes after the negotiations have started, rooms will be opened for additional Party and group delegates, as well as observers, where applicable.
In case the room fills up to capacity and Parties that are not represented in the room want to have a seat at any time during the meeting, Chairs and Co-Facilitators will request the support of participants to vacate the room and follow the meetings from the COP26 Platform in the following order:
Observers without a name plate
Group representatives without a name plate
Party delegates without a name plate
Observers
Group representatives
The adjustments above do not apply to meetings that will be conducted in Plenaries (please also note that nameplates in plenaries should not be moved, as they correlate to the name handling system).
In case the room has reached capacity and there are observers or additional members of Party or Group delegations waiting outside:
Chairs and co-facilitators will kindly request observers to vacate the room and follow the meeting from the COP26 Platform.
If, after observers have left, some Parties have still not gained access to a room, facilitators will also request any additional members of a Party and then of Groups to vacate the room and follow the meeting online, so that all Parties have at least one seat.
Global Climate Action badge holders are not able to access negotiation rooms in view of the fact that they are not representing organizations admitted by the COP as observer organizations in the UNFCCC process.
The COP 26 venue will be fully accessible for those with reduced mobility and accessibility needs.
Accessibility support desk
The accessibility support desk, located at the main information desk in Zone B, will be open on site each day where a member of staff will be able to help with any questions or requests for assistance, including information about how special equipment can be provided.
A WhatsApp messaging helpline will be available for attendees to request assistance if they are located in another area of the site and need support that can be provided promptly and with ease.
If you have any questions about accessibility arrangements on site in advance of travelling to Glasgow, please contact the UK Government managed helpline on +44 (0) 7955441524 any time from Monday, 25 October 2021.
Accessible shuttle
A fully accessible shuttle service for delegates with accessibility requirements will run from 07:00 to 23:00 hrs from just outside Exhibition Centre station to the main entrance of the venue. Delegates are advised that they must have evidence of their daily negative COVID-19 test to show before boarding the accessible shuttle.
Blue badge drop off
There will be a pickup/drop off location for blue badge vehicles on Elliot Street.
Blue Zone security screening and registration
Persons with disabilities may use the Ministerial Entrance to the Blue Zone, together with their personal assistants. United Nations Security staff will provide assistance as required.
At the Registration Desk, counter # 1 is dedicated to persons with disabilities and their personal assistants.
Conference shuttle bus
A dedicated fully accessible shuttle bus will be in operation throughout the conference providing a convenient link between the conference venue and the city centre. It will serve Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street train stations as well as other city centre locations. The shuttle service will run up to every 5 minutes during peak times, departing from stops outside the major transport hubs in the city centre. When first using the conference shuttle, participants can simply show their COP26 confirmation letter to the driver for free boarding. There is no need to tap the travel card, just show it to the driver on the conference shuttle.
The conference shuttle is also supported by two fully accessible vehicles that can be requested for journeys to and from locations in Glasgow to the venue from 06.00 to 01.00 hrs. Details of this service and how to book can be found through our accessibility support desk and helpline.
Please see the Transport section below for further information including the:
Participants are urged to book their accommodation for their time at COP 26 as soon as possible. A range of accommodation options are still available in Edinburgh which is 48 minutes away and served by regular trains.
The corporate booking partner MCI has filled all their contracted accommodation, but delegates are still able to book directly with accommodation providers or through third party booking websites.
In order to support the planning for the delivery of COVID-19 test kits to delegates, the UK Government asks delegations who have not booked through MCI to let them know where they will stay by sending an email to COP26delegations@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
The Catering Portal for the COP 26 venue is now live. Through this portal, you can book catering for areas throughout the conference venue, including a number of offices and reception areas. Scottish Exhibition Center (SEC) Food, the host country sole catering provider for COP 26, are managing this portal.
Please note that it is not possible to order food for the Radisson Red Hotel (Skybar) or the Clydeside Distillery through this portal. To order for these locations, please contact your event liaison.
The UK Government encourages that bookings for catering are made as early as possible and not to wait until arrival date onsite to place an order as there is no guarantee that SEC Food will be able to fulfill orders at a late stage.
The UK Government requests that food and beverages are ordered for those attending the event reception and help avoid food waste.
Note: Food and beverages to order in each location:
Action Zone
Delegates will be able to order hospitality catering to the Action Zone/Hub. Please do not book catering unless you have been instructed by your event liaison focal point.
Delegation Offices
Catering will be available to order to delegation offices. Delegates can order both hot and soft drink, along with breakfast and lunch menus.
Pavilions
Delegates will be able to order hospitality catering to pavilions. Please do not book catering unless you have been instructed by the owner of the pavilion that you will be holding a reception. Pavilion owners should ensure that there is a suitable surface area and electricity points (if required) from which catering can be served.
Side Event Rooms
Event organizers will be able to order hospitality catering to side event reception spaces. Please do not book catering unless you have been instructed by the side event team that you will be hosting a reception following your event.
Sponsor Meeting Rooms
Catering will be available to order to delegation offices. Delegates can order both hot and soft drink, along with breakfast and lunch menus.
Other
A range of catering will be available to order to other locations. These are specific locations within the Blue Zone, and more information on where these are will be shared with the owners of these spaces.
Clydebuilt Kitchen (SEC) operating hours will be from 11:00 – 22:00 with food service stopping by 18:00 hrs. After this time only soft drinks and alcohol can be served.
Each participant on site in the Blue Zone is responsible to behave and conduct themselves in conformity with the Code of Conduct and COVID regulations. Should that not be followed, the UNFCCC secretariat in conjunction with SEC Food reserves the right to refuse the provision and consumption of alcohol on a case by case basis.
Personal supply of alcohol
Delegates will not be permitted to bring any alcohol on site through the Person Search Area (PSA).
Sustainability
Please find detailed information on sustainability aspects of the catering at COP26 here.
UNFCCC conferences, meetings and events participants should be professional, respectful, inclusive and create harassment-free environments for all participants.
Harassment in any form, including sexual harassment, will not be tolerated. All participants are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and appropriate manner and familiarize themselves with the Code of Conduct documents.
The Code of Conduct is available hereand contains detailed information on prohibited conduct, complaint and investigation processes as well as possible consequences in case of misbehavior.
We encourage reporting any incident either to SpeakUp@unfccc.int or directly to any badged UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) officer or by calling the United Nations Security Control Centre, which is open 24 hours a day, at +44 204 568 2787 (landline) or +44 773 101 7613 (mobile), at any time.
Additional guidelines for participants
Guidelines on the use of cameras and audio/video recording devices
Participants should be aware that the use of cameras and audio/video recording devices Video and audio recordings by participants in public areas, such as lobbies and corridors, may be undertaken provided that such activities do not cause disruption to the activities or movements of participants or security provisions of that area.
Important notice: The recording of audio and video by Party or observer organization delegations during open and closed official meetings and in designated high-security zones is not permitted.
United Nations Security guidelines related to media actions, distribution of publicity materials, etc.
Authorized media actions and publicity events in designated areas are permitted. Materials containing abusive or offensive language or images or political pronouncements are not permitted in the conference venue.
Guidelines for the participation of non-governmental organization representatives
Non-governmental organizations are responsible for the conduct of each of their representatives. Any behaviour not consistent with these guidelines may have an impact, including de-badging and revoking access, on the participation of the organization and/or of the individual.
Two computer centers are available at the conference venue offering computer and limited printing services free of charge to all participants on a first come, first served basis. Computer centers are located in Zone B and Zone F. Further electronic device charging work-zones are available at several locations. Please follow the wayfinding signage for locations and directions.
Pickfords has been appointed by the UK Government as the sole official freight forwarder and exclusive onsite handling contractor for COP 26. The following instructions apply to delegations that require the transportation of items from their origin country to Glasgow, UK for COP 26. Each delegation can also contact their own freight forwarder at origin. For detailed information please see the shipping guidelines available here.
Information from the COP 26 Presidency, including its goals for the conference, the COP 26 Green Zone, and latest updates on COVID-19 measure are available on the COP 26 Presidency website.
We are pleased to introduce you to the COP 26 Platform – a web-based app made to support your COP experience. The platform allows to personalise your meeting schedule, network with other participants and view sessions on demand. Please note that a separate registration is required to login to the COP 26 Platform.
To get started and for more details, please follow the link on the email received from onlinereg@unfccc.int or visit the webpage here.
All parties should send their credentials urgently to the Secretariat as outlined in rule 19 of the draft rules of procedure being applied which are available here: FCCC/CP/1996/2). Also outlined in this document are details on the need for credentials for representatives of Parties.
Only one set of credentials is necessary to cover the participation of concerned Parties in the Conference of the Parties, the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement.
Documents will be published, as they become available, on the session web pages, accessible from the Documents and decisions menu on the UNFCCC website home page and the COP 26 page as well as the UN Climate Change app.
A tweet is sent out when a new official document or a relevant new version of a draft text is posted to the website. The Twitter account is In-session documents, with the handle @UNFCCCDocuments.
In line with practices at other UN conferences, documents will only be available electronically (online). Furthermore, to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission, and there will be no documents counter where paper copies could be requested. However, should they wish to do so, delegates can print documents themselves at the computer center.
A comprehensive set of COVID-19 mitigation measures is implemented to keep the conference as safe as possible for all participants.
Travel & Quarantine
In order to enable the attendance of all UNFCCC Registered COP participants, the UK Government has ensured that there will be COP-specific arrangements for COVID-19 Travel Regime that participants will be obliged to follow as they enter the United Kingdom.
If you experience a problem that is not covered in the provided information above and need urgent assistance then please contact the following mailbox: cop26travel@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Vaccines
The safest way for COP 26 to happen in person is for everyone attending to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Full vaccination is strongly encouraged for all those attending COP 26.
The UK and Scottish Governments have both amended legislation; uniquely for COP 26 all COVID-19 vaccines and all vaccination programmes will be recognized.
Testing & Hygiene Measures
There will be strict COVID-19 testing protocols in place, including daily testing for everyone entering the Blue Zone to ensure the health and wellbeing of all those involved and the surrounding community.
During the conference, including the pre-sessionals, participants must report their daily test results online and will not be able to access the Blue Zone without the corresponding SMS or email as evidence of a negative test result.
An overview of the requirements as well as detailed guidance on testing is available on the COP26 Presidency website.
COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct
Each participant at COP 26 has an important role to play in keeping the event COVID-19 safe. All participants will be required to read and agree to the COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct which outlines the COVID-19 safe behaviours all participants will be required to follow and builds on the regulations in place across Scotland. In the case of serious breaches of the Code, UNFCCC secretariat will de-badge and revoke access to the conference premises. The implementation of the COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct is facilitated through the UNFCCC Online Registration System.
Within the Conference premises, to protect individuals and the Conference/WLS/UNFCCC meetings from any potential spread, participants are requested to maintain 1 meter of physical distancing (measured shoulder to shoulder). To ensure distancing is maintained, Participants should follow sign-posting and instructions from staff and should not move furniture.
In accordance with the UNFCCC COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct: “participants must wear face coverings except when eating, drinking, sitting in office spaces/meetings, sitting to perform negotiations, or are medically exempt.” United Nations guidance and practice recommends face coverings to be surgical or FFP2. Delegates should wear face masks while seated where social distancing is not possible.
Regular cleaning of all surfaces will take place throughout the conference and deep cleaning of all rooms will be undertaken regularly throughout the day. We ask Participants to ensure events / meetings finish in a timely manner to ensure the cleaning teams have sufficient time to do their valuable work.
Although the venue is approximately the same size as in recent COPs, due to required physical distancing, seating capacity in meeting rooms will be reduced. Plenary seating will allow only 1+1 (one at nameplate, one behind) and high-attendance events will be ticketed, with other participants having the option of following along through recasting. Due to increased hygiene/cleaning measures, meeting room usage hours may be impacted.
Disclaimer
Participants are strongly advised to obtain comprehensive international medical insurance for the duration of their stay. The United Nations and the UNFCCC secretariat disclaim all responsibility for medical, accident and travel insurance, for compensation for death or disability, for loss of or damage to personal property and for any other costs or losses that may be incurred during travel or the period of participation at the conference including pre-sessional meetings.
In the interests of the security and safety of all participants and the smooth running of the sessions, the UNFCCC secretariat reserves the right to deny and/or restrict access to the conference premises, or to request participants to leave the premises. The UNFCCC secretariat shall not be responsible for any expenses incurred by participants who are requested to leave the premises or refused registration or access to the sessions for which they have been nominated and/or registered as participants.
Medical insurance
Participants are strongly advised to obtain comprehensive international medical insurance for the duration of their stay.
Non-smoking policy
Smoking is not allowed inside the conference premises. Designated smoking areas are available outside the conference area.
Delegations or organizations who are interested in the booking of interpretation services are advised to contact either Global Language Services directly or to book interpreters via the commercial interpretation services desk located in Zone B main concourse.
Please find below relevant information:
Contact details:
Global Language Services Ltd (GLS)
Head Office
60-64 Darnley Street, Glasgow, G41 2SE
Telephone number: (+44) 141 429 3429
Email address: mail@globalglasgow.com
Office opening hours: 09:00 – 17:00 hrs from Monday to Friday
Out of hours staff contact number: (+44) 141 429 3429
Meeting rooms can be booked by Parties and observer organizations free of charge between 8:00 and 18:00 hrs.
Operating hours (located in Zone F)
On Sunday, 31 October, and from Wednesday, 3 to Friday, 12 November: 08:00 – 19:00 hrs
Monday, 1 and Tuesday, 2 November: closed
Although the venue is approximately the same size as in recent COPs, due to required physical distancing seating capacity in meeting rooms is reduced.
Due to increased hygiene/cleaning measures, meeting rooms can be booked for meetings of a maximum duration of 45 minutes from 8:00 to 18:00 hrs.
Meeting Room Assignment (MRA) forms can be downloaded here and may be sent by email to meetingrequest@unfccc.int. the MRA team will track your request and issue notifications/confirmation by the last week of October 2021.
On 31 October and again as of the 3rd day of the conference (3 November 2021), Meeting Room Assignment (MRA) forms will have to be submitted at the MRA counter only in paper format and not by email anymore. The availability and location of your meeting room will be confirmed in the evening of the day before your meeting at the MRA counter. Once confirmed, it is advisable to frequently check your email inbox for potential changes to your confirmed meeting room booking. All confirmations are subject to reconfirmation by the requestor one hour before the start of the meeting. Not reconfirmed meetings will be automatically removed from the system.
Meeting room requests may be submitted for a maximum duration of 45 minutes per Party, regional group or observer organization (United Nations, intergovernmental organization or non-governmental organization). Please be reminded that meetings must conclude and the rooms vacated on time, so as to allow for cleaning and disinfection of the rooms in between meetings;
Meeting room reservations are made on a provisional basis and their final confirmation depends on the demands of the negotiating process, which takes priority;
In the event that the meeting room you have booked is required for informal consultations, contact groups or other urgent negotiation meetings at short notice, you may be provided with an alternative solution;
Meeting room layouts are fixed and comply with the national health and safety regulations of the host country. Please do not change move or remove any furniture or equipment as this will lead to the violation of physical distancing requirements;
All participants of a meeting are to be seated as meeting room capacity corresponds to physical distancing regulations applied throughout the venue for participants safety. Standing participants are therefore not permitted;
Food and beverages are not permitted inside the meeting rooms, except water;
A nursing room is available in the registration area and in zone D main concourse. Directions can be found on the wayfinding signage and map displayed along the venue.
Operating hours
Pavilions: From Monday, 1 November to Friday, 12 November: 08:00 – 22:00 hrs
Delegation offices and pavilion spaces can be rented on a commercial basis.
The booking portal for accredited delegations to book pavilion and office space at COP 26 closed on 2 July 2021.
Details on how to access the portal were sent to the focal points for all delegations. If you require any further information, please email COP26@orientations.team.
To address the global climate emergency, UN Climate Change works collaboratively with governments, the private sector, foundations, international organizations, academia, NGOs, UN agencies and others. We draw upon our partners’ knowledge and expertise to promote positive, solutions-driven approaches to combat climate change, to highlight transformational climate action and to improve public understanding of the issue.
We seek meaningful relationships with our partners that combine technical assistance and knowledge transfer with financial contributions to secure the implementation of the Paris Agreement for a clean, green climate-resilient future. Further information on UNFCCC partnerships is available here.
The Notification regarding COP 26 registration for Parties and observer States as well as for admitted intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations has been issued on 28 June 2021. Notifications are available here.
Multiple registration for the conference is not permitted (i.e. registration as an observer organization representative and a Party or State representative and/or press/media representative).
Please note that there is no online registration system for United Nations organizations. Procedures on how to register delegations from United Nations organizations will be included in the communication to Heads of UN Agencies.
NEW INFORMATION: Travel exemptions and COVID-19 Code of Conduct:
Her Majesty’s Government and the Scottish Government have introduced specific travel exemptions for delegates attending COP 26. All participants should note that in order to qualify for these exemptions they must both confirm that they have read and understand the obligation to comply with the UNFCCC COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct and provide the requested vaccination status information. Please follow the link received on the registered email address from the Online Registration System (ORS) to review the UNFCCC COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct and provide your latest vaccination status.
For more information on the travel exemptions for COP 26, please see the ‘TRAVEL EXEMPTIONS’ section at the link: https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/delegates/. This link also includes up-to-date information including
Frequently asked questions - For all delegates registered in ORS:
Q: I already have downloaded an acknowledgement letter, am I still required to click on the link I received via email from onlinereg@unfccc.int and re-enter/reconfirm my vaccination details and agree to the UNFCCC COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct and re-download an acknowledgement letter?
A: Yes. All delegates are required to re-enter/re-confirm their vaccination status – as this may have changed in the last months. In addition, all delegates including already registered delegates who have previously downloaded an acknowledgement letter, are required to agree to the recently introduced UNFCCC COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct, which is a requirement of UNFCCC secretariat, the Cabinet Office of Her Majesty’s Government and the Scottish Government. The interface has been updated to reflect these changes. Once the information has been entered and submitted, a new version of the acknowledgement letter will be generated. This letter has to be carried by each delegate prior to starting their journey to attend COP 26. Please note that all delegates are required to complete this process, irrespective of whether they undertake any travel.
Q: How can I indicate and confirm that I am fully vaccinated for COVID-19?
A: After registration is confirmed in the ORS. An email is sent to each registered delegate. When you click on the link, you will be asked to indicate your most recent vaccination status, and to agree to the UNFCCC COP 26 COVID-19 Code of Conduct. Once the questions are answered and submit button is clicked, an acknowledgment letter will be automatically generated. This letter is a new version of the acknowledgement letter and has to be downloaded and carried prior to starting the travel to attend COP 26.
COP 26 Platform
Please see the section ‘COP 26 Platform’ above for details on how to register for the COP 26 Platform.
Collecting conference badges
To be issued a conference badge, all participants must be duly registered as indicated in the section “How to register” above.
Upon arrival at the venue for the first time, you will be requested to proceed to the registration desk to collect your badge for access to the conference premises. The acknowledgement letter for the participant’s nomination, available upon confirmation in the online registration system, and a valid passport or a nationally approved identification card should be presented to the registration staff for the issuance of your badge.
For subsequent visits to the venue, once you have a badge, you may access the venue directly through security, without stopping at the registration desk.
Once the badge has been activated, the record cannot be deleted from the database.
Registration desk opening hours
Thursday, 28 October: 08:00 - 16:00 hrs
Friday, 29 October: 08:00 - 19:00 hrs
Saturday, 30 October: 08:00 - 19:00 hrs
Sunday, 31 October: 08:00 - 21:00 hrs
Monday, 1 November: For Parties, United Nations and IGOs: 06:30 - 19:00 hrs For NGOs- Registration starts after 14:00 hrs
From Tuesday, 2 November to Saturday, 6 November: 08:00 - 19:00 hrs
Sunday, 7 November: The conference venue, including registration, will be closed.
Monday, 8 November: 07:00 - 19:00 hrs
From Tuesday, 9 November to Friday, 12 November: 08:00 - 19:00 hrs
Daily badges
For COP 26, 2 daily badges per organization can be requested. The application window for requesting daily badges for COP 26 is from 15 October to 19 October 2021, 08:00 hrs CEST.
The window to apply for daily badges for observers is now closed.
The delegates should have been nominated by the nomination deadline;
A quota has been allocated to your organization as applicable;
The delegates have been confirmed by the Designated Contact Point in the ORS (as in the past).
Important notes to Designated Contact Point (DCP) on Daily Badges:
Once a daily badge request is submitted, it cannot be changed or altered due to operational and technical reasons.
It is the responsibility of the DCP to inform the Donor of the changes, i.e. that his/her attendance days have been partly assigned to a Recipient via the Daily Badge System. Although ORS sends automatically an email to all involved (Donor, Recipient and DCP), this might not be seen or end in Spam folder.
Daily badges apply to participants who will be physically present in COP 26.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept any application beyond the deadline, 19 October 2021, 08:00 hrs CEST.
As communicated to admitted organizations on 15 June, the SEORS opening for side events and exhibits closed on 2 July. A waiting list has been opened to receive further applications for those who did not meet the deadline. More details are available on the UNFCCC’s web page on COP 26 and information on the eligibility and selection criteria for side events and exhibits can be found on the UNFCCC’s (SEORS) web page.
Operating hours
Side Events/Global Climate Action (GCA) Events: From Monday, 1 November to Friday, 12 November: 10:00 – 20:00 hrs
Along with live webcast, social media community tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flickr enable virtual participation in the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference COP 26. See the full list of key social media accounts here.
The UK Government collaborated closely with the UNFCCC secretariat to deliver a sustainable COP 26. The UK Government committed to implementing the International Standard for Event Sustainability Management Systems (ISO20121) and achieved PAS 2060 international standard for carbon neutrality.
The COP26 Sustainability Report details the measures taken to deliver a sustainable conference, avoid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the lessons identified for future COPs and large-scale events.
Please find detailed information on sustainability aspects of the catering, food and beverages at COP26 here.
Paper use and distribution
Participants are encouraged to print and photocopy only what is absolutely necessary prior to and during the sessions.
Participants are asked to refrain from distributing any printed materials, such as publications and information related to side events and exhibits, other meetings or future conferences. The electronic dissemination of information is strongly encouraged.
Power saving
Although the electricity provided to venues will be 100% renewable, we can all play a part in reducing energy demand and freeing up low carbon power for other uses.
The energy needed to power venues usually makes up around a half of the carbon footprint for operating the COP venue, prior to any mitigation.
There are individual actions that anyone can take which will reduce the amount of energy needed to power the venues:
Completely shut down laptops when not in use
Unplug chargers once devices are fully charged to save power
Adjust laptop settings so that they go into sleep mode after a few minutes of idling
Reducing brightness settings to reduce power consumption
Reusable Cups
Hot drinks at COP26 are served in reusable cups. The cups are both reusable and recyclable. We are encouraging participants to deposit their used cups including lids at drop points throughout the venue so that they can be collected, washed, and reused again and again.
Glasgow and the surrounding area are well served by public transport and the main COP venue is served by its own train station, Exhibition Centre Station. The UK Government is working closely with Glasgow City Council to ensure that delegates have a range of smooth running, affordable and sustainable ways to reach the COP venues.
Transport guide and maps
A comprehensive guide and accompanying maps (linked below) outline the different options available for travelling from accommodation in Scotland to the COP 26 conference venue - including public transport and what to expect when arriving at the venue. This also includes details on how to pick up and use the free travel pass, which can be used for standard class services on any Bus, Tram, Subway or ScotRail Train within Scotland to travel to and from COP 26 conference venues only.
Drivers of vehicles associated with COP26 are reminded that waiting unnecessarily on nearby streets for long periods of time is an offence. Drivers will be advised by Glasgow City Council to move on if found waiting unnecessarily with the engine running. Drivers are also advised that private parking spaces not officially associated with COP26 are not available for use.
The UNFCCC Information Counter will be located in Zone B and will be there to answer questions and direct all participants. Items to all participants, such as the hygiene kit and free transport pass, will be distributed at the UNFCCC Information Counter.
Opening hours
Monday, 25 October to Friday, 12 November: 08:00 – 19:00 hrs
All foreign participants entering the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland must have a valid passport.
Participants requiring a visa should contact the appropriate consular authorities well in advance of the conference to ensure enough time for processing. The processing of a UK visa may take up to 15 calendar days from the submission of the visa application.
To facilitate the issuance of a visa, a copy of the acknowledgement letter from the UNFCCC Online Registration System must be attached to the visa application.
Registered participants can submit the visa application using the following link.
