COP26 Vaccine Program Not a Solution to Conference Inequality, Advocates Say

As COP26 launches a document Saying the conference will be “inclusive” and “safe,” a third of the Pacific island nations confirm that they will not be able to send delegates to the conference due to travel restrictions from the pandemic.

Concerns that there is no viable way to hold an international climate conference that is fair to all countries during a pandemic has haunted organizers for months.

In early September, a letter demanding the conference be postponed due to the inequity of the COVID-19 vaccine and costly quarantine accommodation for UK countries.Red list”It was signed by 1,500 environmental groups. COP26 President and British Conservative MP Alok Sharma answered saying that the conference must continue in person and that “ensuring that the voices of those most affected by climate change are heard is a priority for the COP26 presidency.”

Red list countries face unique obstacles, such as meeting more stringent requirements visa requirements and having to self-quarantine upon arrival, even if you are vaccinated. Eddy Pérez, from the Canadian chapter of the Climate Action Network (CAN), said that he has heard from some of those countries that they will not attend with their usual numbers.

“There are Latin American countries that could not get off the red list, which are seeing their delegations reduce,” he said.

“So when we talk about an inclusive COP, I think we are already seeing that part of the test: the UK is failing.”

CAN, which represents groups in 130 countries, spearheaded the initial call for postponement and Pérez said the group has not changed its tune. Although COP26 organizers say they have successfully delivered their vaccine program and will cover the cost of quarantine for delegates in need, it is unclear how many people actually received the vaccines.

The COP26 media team did not respond to questions from National Observer of Canada in time for release on the details of your vaccine launch.

Pérez also emphasizes that COP-26 providing vaccines to some delegates does not mean that there are no other obstacles. Low-income countries also face additional barriers: taking time off work to self-quarantine can be unfeasible, and flights can cost thousands of dollars. Even getting a pass to COP26 is difficult due to accumulation limits and the inevitable travel costs, especially for non-state attendees, make it nearly impossible for many to attend, he said.

The Guardian reported on October 21, 13 Pacific states will send a representative to the conference, while seven will not. Instead, some may send delegates on your behalf from other countries, such as the United States. The Pacific islands are already experiencing the devastating effects of climate change, and many of them are just a few meters above sea level. At past UN climate conferences, they have been instrumental in moving important legislation forward.

However, many Pacific states, such as the Cook Islands, have had few to no COVID-19 cases for the duration of the pandemic. That means some have strict quarantine rules for anyone who comes home from a trip, which must be paid for by the person. Flight costs and the very real risk of bringing COVID-19 back add to the list of barriers.

With many calling COP26 the most important climate change conference to date, the fact that a third of Pacific Island leaders did not attend shows a huge gap in planning, Pérez said.

“It shows the limits of the vaccination program, it shows that the United Kingdom has not been able to respond to all the needs surrounding the convocation and logistics of COP26,” said Pérez.

“… It actually reinforces that we are going to a very difficult and restrictive COP. And we have to be attentive to how these disparities and inequalities are going to be reflected in the day-to-day life of COP26 and expose them because there are real consequences in the decision-making process ”.

The conference, also known as COP, short for Conference of the Parties, has brought the world together since 1995 to strike agreements to reduce global warming. The talks bring together legislators, scientists, environmental activists, climate experts and the media from the 197 member countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to set and work towards global climate change goals. This year, COP26 will take place at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12.

Currently, specific COP travel rules mean that someone coming from a red list country attending the conference and being vaccinated can be isolated for a reduced period of five days, but unvaccinated attendees will still have to complete a 10-day quarantine.

The red list, as of October 21, includes: Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

Aside from travel restrictions, Pérez said that COVID-19 measures once the conference begins could also hamper participation. He said restrictions limiting the number of people in the Blue Zone, where negotiations are taking place, are another way the pandemic will inevitably affect the fairness of COP26. He said CAN will be watching how the negotiations are made accessible to anyone who wants to follow them.

“(The UK) is a wealthy nation that has put all its capacity into trying to host under the current circumstances,” he said.

“This event faces critical problems of power imbalance, it faces critical problems in terms of restriction and that is going to have a very direct impact on the very people (who) need to attend the summit to represent their interests.”