Chaos at COP26 Summit: Queues, Shortages and FOMO in Glasgow

The World Climate Summit got off to a chaotic start, with delegates having trouble entering the venue and attending the meeting, and journalists being told they would rather watch online, reports say. Graham Lawton.

To Graham Lawton

As you stand in line to attend the COP26 conference in Glasgow, UK, it’s easy to understand why negotiating an international agreement on climate change has been so difficult. The need for heavy-handed row jumps and sharp elbows means the self-qualified will gain the upper hand and the community-minded will be left behind.

It can’t be helped that it’s cold and the line is amazing. It takes about half an hour of hustling and shuffling to get to the entrance hall, but just being confronted with another even bigger queue is a reminder of arriving at Heathrow on a busy August weekend. There is a reason. The final hurdle is an airport-style security screen.

Once inside, the wave of people hardly subsides. Attending meetings is virtually impossible. Masks are strictly enforced, but social distancing is practically impossible (and everyone must show a negative covid-19 test to enter). It’s hard to find chairs, tables, outlets, and media desks that are full. Shortages extend to grocery stores, but bins are overflowing.

Yesterday, when I tried to orient myself, I was shunted aside as two noisy figures cocooned past me safely. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, trapped in a mutually appreciative conversation, disappeared into a gated area inaccessible to me. I felt there.

I managed to attend the meeting, but it was a little boring and I was terrified of missing it. Could there be more newsworthy things happening elsewhere?

Immediately, there was. At 1:00 p.m., the United States was due to announce a landmark global agreement on methane emissions. I gave way, but it was already crowded and quickly turned into mayhem. Security staff tried to get speakers and VIPs to join the conference, causing tempers to erupt and a brawl to erupt. US Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry and his entourage wiped out. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett followed in a slipstream.

Suddenly everyone was facing in opposite directions and a countersurge eased the pressure of the crowd. It was Joe Biden. His fellow journalists, if even he and his stalwarts can’t get in, what hope do the rest of us have?

I give up and drift away. Meanwhile, a colleague in London watches the announcement on an internet livestream. By mid-afternoon, the media center is advising journalists to watch sessions online rather than attending them in person.

Yesterday afternoon, the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat issued a statement asking for apologies and understanding. Covid-19 protocols, security surrounding world leaders, and unprecedented levels of concern have wreaked havoc.My sense is that people are frustrated but understanding.

But for all the logistical issues on the ground, there seems to be progress behind the scenes. “This is one of the positive COPs,” he said. “We’ve already seen some progress. This isn’t the end of the story. Not all problems are solved. We’re not on track for 1.5 yet, but We’re on the right track. I’m a little optimistic.”

From today, when world leaders and their entourage begin to leave, the chaos should subside. However, this morning the line was even longer than the day before. But if COP26 makes real progress on climate change, then the urge to attend and the scramble for power outlets will become just a footnote in the history of climate negotiations.

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