GAIA Joins International Civil Society to Call for COP 26 Postponement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9 September, 2021

GAIA Joins International Civil Society to Call for COP 26 Postponement

Manchester, UK–GAIA joins international civil society in calling on the UK Government and the UNFCCC Bureau to postpone COP 26 until they can ensure a genuinely inclusive and safe summit. The historical inequities in terms of access to the COP have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine inequity and travel restrictions. We stand in solidarity with all those who will be excluded and we’ll be working to amplify their voices and demands. 

At the same time, the urgency of action to achieve climate justice is greater than ever. Even in the absence of a COP, parties and non-parties must redouble their efforts to eliminate emissions, strengthen adaptation, and share the financial resources necessary for these actions.  Whether the COP goes forward in November or at a later date, we will do our best to attend with an inclusive delegation to call out burning waste as a false solution to climate change, to advocate for the phase-out of GHG-intensive waste streams like single-use plastic, and to support community-driven zero waste solutions through systems change.

Press contacts:

Claire Arkin, Global Communications Lead

claire@no-burn.org |

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GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than 800 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries. With our work we aim to catalyze a global shift towards environmental justice by strengthening grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution. We envision a just, zero waste world built on respect for ecological limits and community rights, where people are free from the burden of toxic pollution, and resources are sustainably conserved, not burned or dumped.