COP26: Ellie Goulding and Emma Watson join call for climate talks change

In 2019 Ellie Goulding urged young people to choose hope in the climate change battle at the One Young World summit in London.

Four hundred women - including a host of female stars - have signed an open letter to the UK government calling for more women in "decision-making roles" at a global climate summit next year.

One woman has so far been appointed to the UK's four-person leadership team for the UN's COP26 summit, in Glasgow.

A letter, signed by actress Emma Watson and singer Ellie Goulding, says the gender balance was "incomprehensible".

The government says it is committed to diversity.

The UK is hosting COP26, a UN climate change summit, in November 2021. It was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic but is seen as a crucial moment for global leaders to agree on further action to tackle climate change.

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Conservative MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan has been appointed as the COP26 adaptation and resilience champion.

She will work alongside her all-male colleagues, COP26 president Alok Sharma, businessman Nigel Topping and former governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney.

But the letter, addressed to Mr Johnson and Mr Sharma, calls for the UK government to guarantee 50:50 gender balance at the leadership level.

It has also been signed by Hollywood actress Emma Thompson, MP Caroline Lucas, and Google's Kate Brandt.

'Not good enough'

A government spokesperson told the BBC that 45% of the senior management in the COP26 team is female, including the chief operating officer.

But campaigners, including those who signed the letter, say these roles are mainly operational and there are not enough women in "influencing" leadership positions.

Xiye Bastida said the lack of representation at high level talks is disheartening

At last year's COP25 climate change conference, 21% of the 196 heads of delegation were women, according to the UN.

The youth climate movement has been led by prominent young women, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. But for Mexican indigenous activist, Xiye Bastida, the lack of representation at high level talks is disheartening.

"When you attend conferences, events, and panels, most of the people talking about climate are older white men," she says.

"I've found myself in a position of feeling that I don't know enough, or that my voice doesn't matter enough, because there is a white man who dismisses my contributions. This is why I have signed this letter, because I believe that women bring heart and optimism into the fight for our lives."

Fellow signatory, professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST). said evidence shows "diversity in decision-making - including women and men - usually leads to better outcomes".

"So a more gender balanced leadership of COP26 will not only be fairer, it will likely improve decision-making", she says.

What is COP26?

• An International UN climate conference to be held in Glasgow

• Originally scheduled for November 2020, it was delayed by a year due to Covid

• COP26 is expected to be the biggest summit that the UK has ever hosted

• It's been described as the most significant climate event since Paris in 2015

A government spokesperson added: "The UK recognises that the full, meaningful and equal participation and leadership of women in climate policy is vital for achieving long-term climate goals."

It comes after a 2019 report by the UN found that climate change will "disproportionately affect" women and "amplify existing gender inequalities", especially in rural areas.

Almost one third of employed women work in agriculture worldwide - and as droughts get worse their livelihoods could suffer.

The letter also comes ahead of the Climate Ambition Summit that will be hosted by Mr Johnson and UN Secretary-General António Guterres on 12 December.