BBC reveals coverage plans for COP26
October 1, 2021
The BBC has announced extensive coverage plans for the UN’s upcoming climate change conference in Glasgow, bringing audiences to the heart of November’s summit with special programming, news and digital coverage.
Under the banner of ‘Our Planet Now’, the BBC will bring together its UK and global services to deliver comprehensive coverage of COP26, as well as a wide range of programming throughout the autumn and winter exploring, in depth, the topics of environmental sustainability and the world’s changing climate.
Highlights include:
- The BBC will bring together its television services in the UK and worldwide for a special Global Climate Debate on the opening day of the conference (November 1st), and broadcast from BBC Scotland’s headquarters at Pacific Quay. The programme will feature global political figures and a young audience joining the debate live from around the world.
- For the first time, the BBC’s 45 local and nations radio services across the UK will join forces with BBC World Service and with BBC international charity BBC Media Action for a global Climate Voices Festival..
- Blue Peter will be announcing the winner of its COP26 Our Planet Now competition on the show on October 28th. The winner’s creative writing will be transformed into an animation by the award winning Aardman Studios, with a soundtrack performed and recorded by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, to premiere in front of world leaders at the conference.
Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, said: “This summit will be a hugely significant moment in the global response to climate change. The BBC’s ambitious plans will engage all audiences through the key moments, issues and debates.”
Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, added: “November’s conference provides an opportunity for the BBC to take our commitment to exploring the environment and the challenges facing our planet to the next level. With the UK hosting the summit, the range of content and the breadth of platforms the BBC can provide means we’re able to illuminate the debate like never before – and help audiences, at home and around the world, understand what’s at stake, the potential for solutions, and how they too can make a difference.”
As part of the BBC’s coverage, the One Show and Morning Live will be presented from Glasgow across the whole first week of the conference, with BBC Two’s Newsnight also being hosted live from the BBC Scotland HQ.
On the eve of the conference, just before the world’s attention turns to Glasgow as delegates gather, the BBC will host in Glasgow the Global premiere for The Green Planet, BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit’s latest six-part series narrated by Sir David Attenborough.
Throughout the conference BBC News and the BBC World Service will provide an extensive news offering, delivering content across digital, television, radio and online, including programmes – such as Today, Newshour and The Andrew Marr Show – broadcasting live from Glasgow.
The BBC is planning a wide range of programming both before and after the conference under the Our Planet Now banner, including:
- A five-part landmark documentary series, The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet, led by Prince William, founder of the Earthshot Prize, and Attenborough;
- Drama, The Trick, which tells the real life story of the Climategate affair from 2009;
- A new consumer show, Shop Well To Save the Planet?;
- The launch of BBC Bitesize initiative, The Regenerators, to inspire 5-16 year olds across the UK to lead a greener lifestyle and thrive in a more sustainable world;
- And BBC Radio 3 presents The Tempest, a new environmentally-inflected version of Shakespeare’s play to coincide with COP26.