Yahoo Finance Chaotic build-up to Cop26 continues as mascot unveiled
COP26 has revealed its mascot to a chorus of mockery from those who say Glasgow’s run up to the international climate conference has been chaotic.
Bonnie the seal was intended to be a symbol of the global effort to tackle climate change and yet the government has already distanced itself from the bug-eyed character.
Dressed in a blue cheerleading uniform and Glasgow-themed hat, the £1,600 costume was signed off by Boris Johnson’s administration and funded by the taxpayer.
It comes amid reports of overflowing bins and rubbish collectors needing hospital treatment for rat attacks in the city.
Boris Johnson has expressed concerns over whether the event will be a success as he prepares to welcome 120 world leaders jetting into Scotland.
The prime minister admitted it was “touch and go” as to whether the key goals would be met with people agreeing to go to net zero by the middle of the century.
Ms Aitken met with Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee to give evidence on overall preparations for COP26.
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The council leader insisted that cleaning staff are working round the clock ahead of the summit and that it is “entirely gratuitous” to suggest Glasgow is in a state of disrepair.
“I would say the caveats are mainly technical. Some of them have already been resolved or are being ticked off,” she said.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross asked whether the “technical issues were that the bins are overflowing, there’s rats in the streets and some of your employees have been taken to hospital while collecting that rubbish?”
Ms Aitken denied that was the case, although she later admitted that there have been “small incidents” where rubbish collectors had been taken to hospital after “very minor contact with a rat”.
Bonnie the seal, meanwhile, has been recycled in keeping with the summit’s green agenda.
It first appeared in the city’s European Championships 2018 wearing a running vest, shorts and trainers, followed by the Euro swimming championships 2019.
Glasgow City Council proudly showed off the mascot’s new look as volunteers collected their uniforms ahead of the summit.
A spokesperson said: “Bonnie the Seal was also on hand to collect her special COP26 outfit which she’ll wear when she visits volunteers across the city. How seal-liously cute does Bonnie look.”
Officials said Bonnie’s role is to help explain climate change to children and engage the 1,000 volunteers.
However, not everybody agreed with the strategy with one person commenting: “That is a seriously creepy looking mascot.”
One person said they mistook the seal for a squirrel while others described the mascot as “embarrassing.”
Another responded: “People in Glasgow would more appreciate your support in a solution to expensive rise in cost of living than wasting their money coming up with useless volunteer packs and dressing someone in a pantomime costume.”
The COP26 team, based at Downing Street, looked to distance themselves from the mascot and directed enquiries to the local authority, the Telegraph reports.
However, Glasgow City Council said the mascot had been discussed with the government which had “signed off on the outfit”.
Production and delivery costs totalled £1,645 taken from the UK government budget.
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