COP26: Sky to sponsor climate change summit in Glasgow | Business News

Sky has announced it will be the principal partner and media partner for the COP26 climate summit due to be hosted by the UK in Glasgow in November.

Sky says as a principal partner it will support the delivery of a successful and ambitious summit working alongside the UK government, which holds the COP26 presidency.

Europe’s largest media and entertainment organisation has also published a series of bold new environmental commitments for its TV productions which it says will define a new standard for the broadcast industry.

Sky has already pledged to be net carbon zero by 2030.

The COP26 conference will bring together representatives from nearly 200 countries to agree new climate ambitions.

The success of the conference is critical if the objectives set out five years ago in the Paris Agreement are to be met to reduce global emissions.

Alok Sharma, recently appointed full-time to the role of COP26 president, said: “This is an exciting year as we prepare for COP26 in Glasgow. Businesses have a key part to play in the summit and in building back greener, so I am delighted to welcome Sky as a principal partner for COP26.

“Their Sky Zero campaign shows how ambitious they are to take meaningful action for the future of our planet and I look forward to working together in the run up to COP26.”

Sky has announced new sustainable production principles – industry-leading guidelines that will help all its future productions across original drama, comedy and more to achieve an “Albert” sustainable production certification.

Sky will apply the “planet test” – to make sure all its production, editorial and commissioning teams across Sky and Sky Studios actively consider the environment and champion sustainability on screen and off.

Sky Sports has announced it will target sustainable production certification for every host broadcast this year.

Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s executive chairman, said: “This year will require us all to focus and adapt as we accelerate our efforts to tackle the climate crisis. At Sky, we believe that our voice and reach can play a vital role in empowering our customers, partners and industry peers to build a better world, because it’s the actions of business, the government and individuals, that will define our generation. I hope Sky’s new Planet Test and Sustainable Production Principles will spur others to make the transition to net zero with us.”

Sky is the fifth principal partner to support the delivery of the event. SSE, ScottishPower, NatWest Group and National Grid were announced in November 2020.

The UK government has pledged to reduce emissions by at least 68% by 2030.

The COP26 conference was due to take place in November last year but was put back 12 months because of the coronavirus pandemic.