COP26: Women still excluded from top climate table

Most senior roles taken by men

COP26, the climate talks considered the last chance to put the world on track to meet its climate ambitions, is “recognising and celebrating” gender equality and the empowerment of women in climate policy and action. However, women are still missing at the top climate table.

The lack of women's senior leadership in climate negotiations has been raised as an issue of concern by activists. The UK, which is hosing the summit, was planning an all-male top team for Glasgow, headed by COP26 president Alok Sharma, with ten ministers, civil servants and other officials who were all male. After The Guardian's exposé, about half of the COP26 team are now women, but almost all of the most senior public-facing roles are taken by men. SHE Changes Climate, a campaign founded in 2020 to call for equal gender representation in climate negotiations, said that advan...