The Conference of Parties, or COP, is the decision-making body in charge of monitoring and reviewing the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s implementation, with the goal of “stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” COP meetings happen annually and bring together 197 nations and territories – called Parties – that have signed on to the Framework Convention.

COP 26 – Glasgow 2021 

The UK Government will host COP 26, which will take place in Glasgow from 1 – 12 November 2021. This is the first time the UK hosts the conference, which was originally scheduled for November 2020 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over 30,000 delegates are expected to contribute to formal events in the ‘blue zone’ where climate experts, campaigners, policy makers and world leaders debate how to make global progress on climate change.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend side events in the ‘green zone’, a citizen meeting space where NGOs, organisations and national representatives engage with each other and the general public on aspects of environmental awareness, social equality and reflections on proceedings at the COP.

Jubilee Scotland’s Campaign

In the next five months, Jubilee Scotland will be working with national and international allies to make sure that Climate Debt is understood, debated and addressed at COP26.

Jubilee Scotland’s campaign “Scotland Against Climate Poverty” aims to make good use of Scotland’s unique position at COP26. There is a natural spotlight on Scotland since the summit is in Glasgow. But since the UK Government is hosting the Summit, Scotland remains an outsider. The Scottish politicians hence find themselves in a perfect, neutral position to voice the need for ambitious targets and alternative solutions. Our overall aim with the campaign is that the Scottish Government and Members of the Scottish Parliament table alternative innovative solutions to Climate Debt as a matter of social justice at COP26, anchored in local priorities and voices. Developed and spearheaded by a respected neutral actor, these recommendations will help to inform international policy debates around climate finance and solutions to climate debt, which are issues of rising international concern and will be front and centre of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference.

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