Side events and Exhibits were originally established by the secretariat as a forum for duly admitted observer organizations to highlight diverse climate change issues in a different environment from the negotiation process itself. The successful development of side events and exhibits over the past years has culminated in a new record figure of applications for COP 15/CMP 5 - more than 560 side event applications for the initial 135 slots, more than 350 exhibit applications for ca. 200 slots.

Side events are 1.5 hours in duration, where various Parties and organizations present their work, often engaging the audience in a Q&A session. Previously, side events have been scheduled solely outside negotiation hours. Due to the high demand, the secretariat decided to increase the number of slots by scheduling side event throughout the day. The side event programme for COP 15/CMP 5 contains more than 240 events focused on major issues in the Convention process. These will take place in side event rooms located in Hall H.

The host government provides standardized exhibit booths for Parties and admitted observer organizations to showcase their work at UNFCCC sessions. The exhibition area at COP 15/CMP 5 includes a great variety of more than 190 exhibits from Parties and observer organizations to the Convention. All exhibits will be located in Hall H and will take place throughout the conference.

Due to the overwhelming demand of observer organizations to present their work at UNFCCC sessions, the secretariat has created the "…inSide climate change" Solutions - a studio that provides an opportunity for applicants to be interviewed briefly by a professional journalist on actions, solutions, observations and issues that impact on climate change. All interviews are filmed, edited and broadcast on Climate Change TV, the world's first Internet broadcaster dedicated entirely to climate change issues. Interviews will be catalogued in a fully searchable database alongside other interviews with world leaders, expert observers, decision makers and activists in the international climate change debate.

The 2009 exhibition of the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) will focus on how information and communication technologies (ICTs) are helping to increase awareness and support concrete action on climate change in both developing and developed countries.

The exhibition will show practical examples of existing and upcoming technologies and practices and show related products and services that illustrate ICT's usefulness in combating climate change. It will also showcase current ICT-related projects undertaken by governments, United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations and media organizations on their own or with private sector partners.

The central presentation space will be equipped with a Cisco TelePresence (CTS 1000) suite - allowing for external presenters to present to participants in the COP 15 venue from 61 countries, and an LCD screen that may be used by presenters to show PowerPoint slides or show a movie on DVD. Some presentation will be webcast on demand on the Internet.

An online Internet website will provide a repository for all presentations and demonstrations as well as on-demand webcasts. It is also possible to receive daily update on twitter and on the UNFCCC Facebook page in the events section.