The COP26 climate summit is taking place in Glasgow, with world leaders including Boris Johnson and Joe Biden discussing the urgent matter of global climate change.
Prince Charles and Prince William are also making appearances alongside representatives from countries across the globe – while Sir David Attenborough is set to appear, and Greta Thunberg has also joined the ranks in the Scottish city.
Being such a major world event it even has its own mascot, which was unveiled in the days before the event began.
Just who is the mascot for COP26 and why do they look familiar?
Who is the COP26 mascot?
The COP26 mascot has been unveiled as the character Bonnie The Seal.
Bonnie’s role was revealed by Glasgow City Council on Twitter in the run-up to the event as preparations for the summit continued.
‘#COP26 volunteers have started collecting their uniforms ahead of the Climate Summit starting,’ the Council 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.’
Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council recently said of the mascot: ‘Our incredible COP26 volunteers are welcoming the world to our city for such a crucial moment in the future of our planet.
‘The volunteers coming together for the first time marks an important milestone in this fantastic volunteer programme and an inspiring day for all involved, made all the more exciting by a visit from Bonnie the seal.’
However, the mascot has received a mixed response – with reports that one Westminster official dubbed the creature ‘king of the Glasgow rats’.
The remarks come amid a bin driver’s strike left rubbish on the streets of Glasgow – leading to a reported rat problem in the city.
Where have you seen Bonnie before?
Bonnie The Seal is by no means a new mascot – having previously been the face of the 2018 European Championships, the major sporting event hosted by the city that year.
The character was also used for the 2019 European Short Course Swimming championships, which were held in Glasgow.
However, she is appearing at COP26 with a new blue and green costume, designed specially for the event at a cost of £1,645.
The Council explained: We only paid for the new costumes and, in the spirit of COP26, Bonnie herself we ‘recycled’ after using her at two major sports championships. Her role during COP26 is to help explain climate change to children and engage our 1,000 volunteers.
‘The costs were paid for from the volunteer marketing budget which is devolved to Glasgow City Council but came from the UK Government.’
MORE : Greta Thunberg joins fossil fuel protests in London ahead of COP26
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