Summary

  • On day six of the climate summit, the focus turned to youth and public engagement

  • Climate activists Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate spoke to protesters, after marching through the streets of Glasgow

  • Thunberg described COP26 as a "failure" and a "PR exercise", full of more "blah blah blah", while Nakate urged young people to "hold leaders to account"

  • We were joined for Friday's live coverage by special guests, BBC Young Reporters Maisie, Nel and Donald

  • They helped us hear directly from young people affected by climate change around the world, as well as youth activists and campaigners

  • COP26's overall goal is to keep the world on track for 1.5C of warming, which scientists say will help us avoid the worst impacts

Live Reporting

Edited by Hamish Mackay and Jasmine Taylor-Coleman

  1. Police will take 'robust' action if protest turns violent

    Police contain an Extinction Rebellion protest in Glasgow this weekPA Media

    Police have been dealing with a series of protests this week, but have only made a handful of arrests

    While negotiations and speeches continue inside the conference centre, outside the protests are expected to step up a gear in Glasgow today.

    Thousands of young people will march through the city demanding action on climate change, with speeches from Greta Thunberg and other leading campaigners.

    On Saturday, tens of thousands of people are expected at a protest march, and police have warned they will deal "swiftly and robustly" with any violent disorder or damage to property.

    Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie says the force has worked closely with organisers of the youth march and is "very encouraged" by the high level of engagement.

    There will be an increased police presence in the city with liaison officers, wearing light blue vests, deployed as a link between event organisers and the police.

    Officers are there to maintain the safety of the public and participants, as well as to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or to counter-protest. If you're going to a march, please act responsibly and be respectful in your actions."

    Gary Ritchie, Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable

  2. Facebook fails to flag climate change denial, study finds

    GraffitiGetty Images

    We're expecting see thousands of activists on the streets today - but much of the fight for future of the planet takes place online.

    And disinformation researchers say they have identified thousands of highly-shared articles on Facebook making false assertions that climate change was unconfirmed by science or claiming to debunk it with data.

    In reality, our understanding comes from analyses of millions of measurements from across the world. Yet two studies suggest less than 10% were marked as misinformation.

    Facebook, which has pledged to flag misinformation, says this represents a small proportion of climate change content.

    Read more

  3. What's happening today?

    Helen Briggs
    BBC environment correspondent, Glasgow

    Climate activists at COPGetty

    When world leaders spoke at the beginning of the week, the average age in the room was over 60.

    Today it’s youth day at COP, where young people get the chance to propose ideas and actions to address climate change.

    What to watch: With events planned across the city, expect to hear what young climate change activists think of the deals struck so far at COP - and whether they are more “blah, blah, blah”.

    The Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is in Glasgow and was one of 400 young people who took part in a youth event in the run-up to the COP in Milan.

    Inside the summit: We’ll hear from young climate change movers and shakers on how climate change is affecting their lives, and we’re expecting an announcement on how schools can help in climate change education.

    Week one draws to a close: In other news, we may hear more about how behind-the-scenes discussions are progressing to bend the curve on rising temperatures.

    Finance for poorer nations living on the front line of climate is still a major sticking point, with contentious issues ahead.

    And, as week one draws to a close, there are questions about whether headline-grabbing announcements on coal, methane and forests are diverting attention away from the main purpose of the summit.

  4. Greta Thunberg to lead campaign march through Glasgow

    Greta Thunberg on the first day of COP26PA Media

    It is the climate summit’s youth day today and we are expecting thousands of young people to join a march through Glasgow, organised by campaigner Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future movement.

    With speeches scheduled afterwards, our environment correspondent Helen Briggs says we can expect to hear whether young activists are encouraged by the deals struck so far, or whether they consider them - as the Swedish teenager puts it - more "blah, blah, blah".

    Activist Anna Brown says the event will demonstrate a need to move climate discussions away from "enclosed" spaces.

    "The message is that the system of COPs - we've had 26 now - that system isn't working," she says. "So we need to uproot that system."

    Read more

    COP26: How protesters prepared for the Glasgow climate change summit

  5. Good morning

    Good morning and welcome to day six of our live coverage of the COP 26 climate conference in Glasgow.

    Today’s theme is young people and public empowerment - and there’s plenty to come.

    Younger activists will soon take to the streets of Glasgow to demand climate action, with Greta Thunberg and fellow activist Vanessa Nakate among those expected.

    Throughout the day, we’ll be hearing directly from young people already experiencing the effects of climate change.

    We'll also be joined by BBC Young Reporters, Maisie Goodwin and Nel Richards, who will be reporting for us as guest journalists for the day.