Climate justice at COP26: how Scotland can champion change

A successful 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) is vital to keep the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on track and put us on a pathway to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis. COP both shapes and is shaped by its location and timing, and this must be utilised by people inside and outside of the official negotiations to make meaningful progress in the fight for climate justice. Because COP26 will be held in Glasgow, a unique situation emerges. Scotland’s devolved government has a far more ambitious climate policy than the UK, which holds the official COP Presidency. As a sub-national government, Scotland has no formal standing to negotiate within COP26. These unprecedented circumstances offer significant opportunities for Scotland to use soft-power as quasi-COP hosts to champion change, and have a positive influence over the negotiations.