Public Participation and COP26: A Report from Glasgow

This report, presented as an interview between CIEL staff, criticizes the COP26 presidency and the UNFCCC Secretariat for failing to deliver on a promise of the "most inclusive COP ever." It details how unprecedented restrictions on access to negotiating areas in Glasgow have marginalized civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and representatives from the Global South, thereby hindering the monitoring of key climate discussions and the inclusion of frontline perspectives.

• COP26 implemented unprecedented restrictions on access to negotiating areas, which severely limited the ability of civil society to monitor proceedings and hold bilateral meetings. For example, the Climate Action Network, representing over 1,500 organizations, was granted only two tickets for access to all negotiating areas for the first two days, making it impossible to cover all six parallel negotiation sessions.
• The exclusion of observers from hallways and room corners—spaces typically used for informal meetings with negotiators—has hindered the participation of those whose voices are often ignored. This lack of access impacts the ability of observers to provide scrutiny on critical discussions regarding ambition, finance, loss and damage, and Article 6.
• The report argues that the UNFCCC Secretariat and the UK presidency failed their international legal obligations to ensure the participation of those most impacted by climate change. The exclusion of Indigenous Peoples and participants from the Global South risks the adoption of "false solutions" or carbon trading mechanisms lacking adequate safeguards.

APA

Bonacini, C. (2021). Public Participation and COP26: A Report from Glasgow. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/public-participation-and-cop26-a-report-from-glasgow/

Chicago

Bonacini, Cate. Public Participation and COP26: A Report from Glasgow. Center for International Environmental Law, 2021. https://www.ciel.org/public-participation-and-cop26-a-report-from-glasgow/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bonacini |first1=Cate |title=Public Participation and COP26: A Report from Glasgow |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=3 November 2021 |url=https://www.ciel.org/public-participation-and-cop26-a-report-from-glasgow/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bonacini2021public, author = {Bonacini, Cate}, title = {{Public Participation and COP26: A Report from Glasgow}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2021}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ciel.org/public-participation-and-cop26-a-report-from-glasgow/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }