Virtual negotiations: COP26 should be an ‘immersive’ hybrid event
The UN’s flagship climate conference, COP26, should be an ‘immersive’ hybrid event where some negotiations happen virtually, a former climate chief has said.
Christiana Figueres, who spearheaded the 2015 Paris Agreement, said it was unlikely 25,000 people would attend the event in Glasgow as originally planned.
Organisers must find the “sweet spot” that allows for safe, efficient and successful negotiations, she told the BBC.
Talk of virtual negotiations has raised concerns that the conference may be less impactful than in previous years, as it lacks the same sense of urgency and collectivism as with in-person events.
Former executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Figueres, who plans to visit part of the conference, added that she is unsure whether the Paris Agreement would have been as successful if negotiated online.
“Could we have done it differently? I honestly do not know,” Figueres said.
“Over the past 18 months, we have actually shifted our mindset and realised that much can be done without our physical presence. So, therein lies the answer to your question.”
The former climate chief’s outlook appears hopeful, as the UK readies itself for the seat at the helm.
The Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, where COP26 is due to be held, is currently undergoing to process of turning it from a vaccination centre to a UN-ready conference facility.