UN Climate Change News, 10 November 2021 – COP26 is on track to be one of the largest ever, with more than 40.000 registered participants, including 22,274 party delegates, 14.124 observers and 3.886 media representatives.
Carbon Neutrality
COP26 is a carbon- neutral event. All carbon accounting is being carried out in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and will be published after the event. COP26 will also be the first to achieve validation using the PAS2060 international standard on carbon neutrality. Any unavoidable carbon emissions from the conference will be offset through the purchase of UNFCCC-recognised offsets such as Certified Emission Reductions (CERs).
Sustainability
Great effort has been made to ensure sustainability at the conference.
COP26 Sustainability Governing Principles include actively managing potential impacts on the environment and local community, encouraging more sustainable behaviour, and promoting the responsible use of resources throughout the supply chain.
Regarding catering, 95% of food served at the conference is seasonal and from the UK, with at least 80% of this coming from Scotland. By calculating the carbon footprint of food served in the Blue Zone and displaying it on the menus, attendees can make sustainable food choices.
84 kg of locally harvested Mara Seaweed is used as an entirely sustainable substitute for salt in dishes, requiring neither fertilizer, fresh water, nor soil to grow. In addition, 750 kg of Scottish berries were harvested in the summer and preserved using 250 kg of Scottish Heather Hills Honey.
Drinking cups at the venue are reusable, saving up to approximately 250,000 single use cups. Reusable, aluminium water bottles are provided to all participants and water refill stations can be found throughout the venue.
COP26 also strives towards going paperless using the UNFCCC app providing daily schedules, press releases and other information. Furthermore, priority is being given to low- carbon, alternative energy sources such as electric and low-emission vehicles, solar energy for temporary traffic lights and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in generators instead of diesel.
Further facts and figures
At COP26 there are:
- 25,000 pieces of furniture
- Approximately 7000 m2 carpet
- 445 bins
- 330 water coolers
- 1,124 toilets and urinals
- 515 free-standing hand sanitizers
- 122 km active fibre
- 30 HB cameras
- 5 TV Galleries