Scottish Government at COP26: What was achieved?

Case Study: The Multilevel Action Pavilion

Context

At COP26, the Scottish Government sponsored a pavilion in partnership with ICLEI, who act as the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities Constituency focal point, which represents networks or local and regional governments in UNFCCC processes. The pavilion provided opportunity to showcase the climate action and leadership from sub-national, state, regional, city and devolved governments and other non-state actors to demonstrate the importance of delivering climate action by all levels of government.

What happened?

50 events were held over 11 days in the pavilion, with participants ranging from the Scottish Government, to the Under2 Coalition, Regions4 and Climate-KIC covering topics like Just Transition, climate justice, transport and adaptation. Events were hybrid to allow participation from within and out with the Blue Zone to maximise reach.

What was the impact?

Part of the Scottish Government’s role at COP26 was to be a bridge builder – to connect those whose voices are too rarely heard, with those making the decisions. The Multilevel Action Pavilion helped to build these bridges and provided a platform in the heart of the Blue Zone for actors not always heard during COPs including: different levels of governments, such as states, regions, local government, cities; people from the global south; and citizens from Scotland and around the world.

The events at the pavilion helped to showcase the important role states and regions play in tackling climate change and promoted collaboration, for example through the Scottish Government event, The Adaptation Lab, which looked at how action on climate resilience can be inclusive and collaborative.

The Scottish Government also made sure that all events at the pavilion were hybrid, allowing those who couldn’t travel to Glasgow, or those without Blue Zone accreditation, to participate in, or watch, events. Over 2,000 people registered to the online platform and attendees represented diverse sectors from local and regional governments to research and academia, civil society and NGOs, and the private sector. They represented 73 different countries.

Pavilion events also enabled the Scottish Government to mobilise greater action from partner governments, marshalling support for the Edinburgh Declaration and Glasgow Women's Leadership statement.

What are the next steps?

Building from the momentum of COP26 the Scottish Government will continue to demonstrate the role that non-party governments play in tackling the climate emergency, and at COP27 will to continue the bridging role to continue amplifying marginalised voices in the global decision making process.