Press conferences - COP 26

At COP 26, press conferences will combine a "live" in-person event with a "virtual" online component. Combined events have become a popular way of increasing participation in traditional events. They also enable participation by people who might be unable to attend physically.

There are two in-person press conference rooms at the COP 26 venue:

Room name	Location	Set-up	Capacity	Organizers
PC1 Giant's Causeway	Area H	Theatre seating	95	Parties, UN, IGOs
PC2 Durdle Door	Area D - Ground Floor	Theatre seating	40	NGOs

•   Both rooms can have a maximum of 6 people on the podium
•    Organizers must make their own nameplates
•   Only registered media may take part in-person and pose questions
•   Webcasts will be live and the live webcast is open to the public. Webcasts will be displayed on the special COP 26 webcast section
•   Each press briefing is 30 minutes in length, maximum. Organizers are requested to keep within the allotted time slot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to COVID restrictions, we will be obliged to clear the press conference rooms after each briefing in order to clean and disinfect.

Organizers must inform in advance who will be on the podium and will need to have the possibility to speak. This includes the moderator and any guests that have been invited. Please provide the information below via e-mail:

First Name

Last Name

E-mail*

Registration (type of badge, e.g Party or NGO)

Country

*The e-mail address provided MUST BE the same e-mail used for registration and thus for login into the COP platform.

How do I reserve the Press Conference Room?

To reserve the Press Conference Room, please complete the press conference request form and send to the UNFCCC Press Office (pressconf(at)unfccc(dot)int)

How much does it cost?

There is no cost for use of the press conference room

Who can be contacted in case of technical problems (name, phone number, e-mai)?

Each room will have an AV person on the room who can help you with technical problems. Then there will be roving technical support staff available who can be called into the room if you need them and there is the support via the platform for the delegates and other participants.

Will it be possible for us to have several of our delegates physically present to speak to the press and one or two to be on a screen from another country through MS Teams or ZOOM (or other technology)? What platforms are supported?

Yes, this is possible. Press conferences will use WebEx/Legislate or WebEx. The UK will provide the virtual meeting for each press conference and only this meeting is supported. Zoom, Teams and other tools will not be possible. Only the virtual meeting provided by the UK.

Can we have a panelist who is in another country and needs to join the panel and appear on a screen in the background (what platform will be used)? If not, can they pre-record a video statement and project it on to the screen behind the panelists?

Yes, but only as long as they have a virtual badge and be able to enter the COP26 platform. Pre-recorded messages can be played into the meeting as well for those who don’t have a virtual badge.

What do the organizers of the press conference have to do in this case exactly?

Each meeting will have a participants security group and the people provided in the list above will need to be added to that group. Instructions on this will follow but it will be quite simple. It needs to be done by UNFCCC staff and can not be done by the organizers.

Also, would you know if there is any capacity at this COP to have people join virtually (not just view through the live stream) but any other methods we can dial-in people remotely?

All people with a Media badge who have access to the COP26 Virtual platform will be able to join the meeting. They can raise their hand and ask questions when given the floor. People with other badge types need to be invited to the press conference, as described above.

Do all press panels need at least one person on the ground in Glasgow, or would it be possible to air an entirely virtual press conference in the conference suites?

It would be possible to air the entire press conference virtually. However the room will always be booked from you as this is where the technician for your meeting and where the technical equipment is located.