ACTIVISTS today welcomed a decision by Glasgow City Council to ban big polluters from using public venues during the UN Cop26 climate conference in the city this November.

The motion, passed unanimously at a full council meeting, is believed to be the first of its kind.

It mandates Glasgow City Council to take steps to ensure that venues and community spaces either owned or operated by the council are not used for the benefit of those who deny, ignore or wilfully contribute to catastrophic climate change.

The motion was brought by Labour councillor Eva Murray, who said: “It is our hope that those spaces will be used during Cop26 to showcase and give space to grassroots organisations and activists from Glasgow as well as those who may be travelling from other parts of the world.”

The criteria for determining access to publicly owned venues have since been decided by council officials, but an apparent lack of clarity in the terms and a lack of scrutiny of the evaluation process have led to concerns among key backers of the motion.

Glasgow Labour for a Green New Deal celebrated the council’s vote but added: “Now we need to make sure that the criteria are robust, and reflect the ambition of the motion.” 

Glasgow Calls Out Polluters organiser Scott Tully said: “Without clear and strong criteria, big polluters will once again use publicly owned spaces for their illicit self-promotion. 

“We will be watching how this progresses very closely and will make sure that we hold our council to account.”