Met Office at COP26
Find out about events the Met Office was involved in during COP26
During COP26 the Met Office was involved in a range of activities. As well as jointly hosting the science pavilion with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), below are details of other key activities.
You can download a copy of the activities below here.
| Date | Time (GMT) | Event title | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-12 Nov | All day | Science pavilion | The World Meteorological Organization, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Met Office are hosting the science pavilion with a two-week long programme of events. |
Science pavilion |
| 01-12 Nov | All day | Joint Centre for Excellence in Environmental Intelligence |
The Joint Centre for Excellence in Environmental Intelligence is a pioneering collaboration between the University of Exeter and Met Office, leading research and innovation in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies to deliver transformative change for the transition to Net Zero. |
Virtual blue zone exhibition |
| Monday 01 Nov | 09:30-10:30 | What does transforming the energy system really mean? Adaptation, resilience & transition challenges |
Civic society organisations and stakeholders (including the Group Chief Engineer of the National Grid and a representative from Energy UK) of the energy production sector, together with the audience, will discuss with experts the challenges they face on a path towards a climate resilient low carbon energy system. The panel of experts, including scientists involved in the IPCC AR6 Working Groups, will provide latest scientific evidence and insights on how this transition can be achieved. Organised by: Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission (GCSA), Met Office, University of Exeter |
EU pavilion |
| Monday 08 Nov | 08:00-09:00 | BBC Media Action event |
VIP breakfast and hybrid panel discussion on the importance of media and communications in climate action internationally, including partnering on the Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER) programme and the WeatherWISE approach. Organised by: BBC Media Action, India BBC Media Action Country Lead, Met Office, Nepal National DRR Management Agency, Red Cross Climate Centre |
Green zone |
| Monday 08 Nov | 08:00-09:00 | Climate risk and adaptation breakfast reception | This breakfast reception precedes the event below at 09:00. | UK pavilion |
| Monday 08 Nov | 09:00-10:30 | Climate risk and adaptation: how we understand and respond to climate change hazards |
This event will showcase the UK’s proactive steps to build adaptive capacity and reduce climate risk to communities both domestically and internationally through risk UK Pavilion |
UK pavilion |
| Tuesday 09 Nov | 09:15-10:15 | Climate science partnerships for climate action |
This event highlights the need for science partnerships to deliver climate action and will provide a short highlight on programmes such as the Newton Fund Weather and Climate Science to Service Partnership (WCSSP), Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER) and Asia Regional Resilience to a Changing Climate (ARRCC) programmes. The Met Office will share, with their delivery partners and beneficiaries, experiences of delivering sustained transformative activities. Organised by: BEIS, FCDO,India Meteorological Department, Kenya Red Cross, Met Office You can view a recording of this event here. |
UK pavilion |
| Tuesday 09 Nov | 10:00-11:00 | Climate adaptation – through infrastructure risk resilience and governance – a global perspective |
Better governance is key for systemic resilience of infrastructure systems. The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), India will release its white paper that will act as a foundation for resilience of infrastructure governance. CDRI and the Met Office will discuss and put forward evidence and solutions to the climate challenge, quantifying pathways and new research to inform adaptation, risk, resilience, and the next generation of climate services. Organised by: CDRI, Met Office, University of Exeter |
EU pavilion virtual event |
| Tuesday 09 Nov | 18:30-20:00 | Protecting the Congo peatlands for climate mitigation and adaptation | In 2017 scientists first mapped the central Congo peatlands revealing them to span 145,500 square kilometers, making this the world’s largest tropical peatland. They also store 30 billion tonnes of carbon in peat, equivalent to 3 years of current global fossil fuel emissions. This session will provide information on the central Congo peatlands from the $4 million CongoPeat project, a network of 50 scientists working together to assess the size, carbon stocks and threats to the central Congo peatlands. | Peatlands pavilion |
| Wednesday 10 Nov | 11:30-12:45 | 1.5°C: Where are we now, where are we headed, what are the risks? |
During this event we will present the 2021 rebound in latest data on carbon emissions from the Global Carbon Project and consider what this means for 1.5°C ambition, given our best understanding of the climate system. We will also consider the impacts and risks of continued warming temperature change, and how we can build greater resilience. Organised by: CICERO, Met Office, University of Exeter, University of Leeds, University of Reading |
UNFCCC side event |
Throughout COP26 there were other events that the Met Office supported, for example through providing panel members and speakers. In addition to organised events, the Met Office also supported the UK national delegation in negotiations, providing science support to Government.