U.K. Eases Covid Travel Rules for COP26 Climate Conference

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. has relaxed Covid-related travel restrictions for people attending the international climate conference in Glasgow that’s now less than six weeks away. 

Minister-level officials from so-called red list countries, along with two staffers, won’t be required to spend time in quarantine when they arrive for the COP26 conference, according to updated travel requirements. That’s a change from an earlier stance that required visitors from the high risk, red-list countries to spend five days in isolation. 

World leaders, executives and climate activists are expected to attend COP26 to hammer out plans to curb carbon emissions. With new reports showing the planet on track to warm by 2.7 degrees Celsius (4.9 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, the event is seen as a critical effort to head off catastrophic climate change. 

The revised rules are aimed at facilitating attendance after the earlier policy spurred complaints that the quarantine requirement would prevent some people from traveling to Scotland, especially those from poorer nations. The new quarantine policy applies to minister-level heads of departments who are also part of the national party delegations. The two staffers must also be part of the delegations. 

“The U.K. and Scottish governments have put in place special arrangements for COP26 recognizing this is a unique event, that must be fully inclusive to achieve the climate outcomes urgently needed,” according to the revised rules.

A U.K. government spokesman said the rules regarding quarantine exemptions are consistent with existing exemptions for foreign ministers visiting the country on official business and have been in place for some time.  

Organizers are strongly encouraging all attendees to be vaccinated against coronavirus, and while they’re recommending people use vaccines approved by the World Health Organization, they will recognize all vaccines.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.