United Nations: COP26

Designing and delivering an unprecedented mega-event

120

World leaders hosted at the largest hybrid event ever delivered in the UK

40,000+

In-person delegates and 5,000 virtual attendees across the Blue and Green Zones

2,700+

Meetings facilitated across a site Identity designed, built, and operated end-to-end

<8 months

To write the blueprint for a post-pandemic mega-event with no precedent

The challenge

COP26 was unlike anything that had come before. The largest event ever hosted by the UK Government, it brought together 120 world leaders, 40,000 delegates, and a global virtual audience, against the backdrop of a pandemic that was still reshaping what live events could be. There was no playbook. Identity had to write one.

Approach

Identity took full ownership of the Blue and Green Zones, designing, building, and operating every element of the conference environment. With under eight months to deliver, the team worked in lockstep with the UK Government and the United Nations to create an experience that was simultaneously secure, accessible, sustainable, and broadcast-ready for a worldwide audience. Every decision set a precedent.

Result

COP26 was delivered on time, on brief, and to a standard that redefined what a government-hosted mega-event could look like. Over 2,700 meetings were facilitated across the site. The hybrid format reached thousands more beyond Glasgow. Identity’s delivery became the gold standard for accessible, sustainable, large-scale international events, a blueprint that will shape the format for years to come.