Delivering an inclusive Cop26 in the age of Covid-19 requires more than vaccines

Excerpt from climatechangenews.com

The announcement offers a path to vaccination for many, including delegates from the 46 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which despite being home to 14% of the world’s population, have only administered just over 1% of global doses.

But vaccinations are just one step. Many logistical and financial barriers remain for prospective participants to what the UK has billed “the most inclusive Cop ever”.

For negotiators coming from a least developed country, reaching the UK has never been easy.

First, you need a visa, which in most cases you cannot get at home. You will need to travel to another country and apply in-person, waiting there until a decision is made. Online visa applications, available to other UK visitors, are not available to you.

With most countries currently enforcing some level of Covid-19 restrictions, many nations won’t allow travel beyond their borders or are restricting people returning from abroad. This is the case in many island nations.

This means that the first hurdle to travelling to the UK may be insurmountable for some low-income countries.