A practical guide to choosing the right format, designing a useful programme and managing delivery.
A COP31 side event might be a formal session inside the conference, a discussion hosted by a pavilion, or a separate gathering elsewhere in Antalya. The first decision is which of these you are planning. Access rules, applications, production costs and the people you can reach vary considerably.
1. Decide which kind of event you mean
| Format | What to check first | Planning implication |
|---|---|---|
| UNFCCC-managed official side event | Eligibility, SEORS status, allocated slot and Blue Zone badge requirements | Follow the secretariat's organiser handbook and confirmed booking |
| Pavilion programme | Host organisation, pavilion schedule, access conditions and available equipment | Coordinate with pavilion management; pavilion participation is not automatically an official UNFCCC side event |
| Independent event in Antalya | Venue availability, invitations, access, suppliers and transport | You control more of the programme but must build your own audience and logistics |
For COP31, the official UNFCCC side-event application window closed on 20 July 2026. SEORS currently permits waitlist applications, without a guarantee of a slot. A confirmed pavilion invitation or outside venue booking follows a different process. Check SEORS before stating that an official slot is available.
2. Give the session one useful outcome
Begin with a sentence: “After this event, participants should be able to…” The answer might be to understand a specific policy choice, compare implementation approaches, meet potential partners, or agree next steps. A title such as “The future of climate action” is too broad to guide a 60-minute programme.
Choose the primary audience and identify the reason they would attend your event instead of another session. At COP31, people may face overlapping commitments, security queues and travel between venues. Treat their time as limited.
3. Design the programme backwards
For a 60-minute discussion, a workable starting structure is:
- 5 minutes: moderator frames the precise question.
- 10 minutes: evidence or case presentation.
- 25 minutes: two or three speakers address defined, different questions.
- 15 minutes: moderated discussion with participants.
- 5 minutes: conclusion, contact and next steps.
This is an illustrative format, not a UNFCCC scheduling rule. A launch, roundtable, workshop or closed stakeholder meeting may need a different sequence. Tell speakers what contribution is expected, agree a time limit and avoid using all available minutes for opening remarks.
4. Confirm access before sending invitations
Check who may enter the venue, whether speakers need conference badges, and whether attendees may bring colleagues or media. Official secretariat-managed COP31 side events are held in Blue Zone Area A; only registered participants with the relevant badge can enter that zone. An independent venue in Antalya has its own admission conditions.
Do not advertise an event as open to all until access has been confirmed. Give invitees the exact entrance, room, arrival instructions and the person to contact if a badge or transport problem occurs.
5. Build a one-page production brief
Include:
- Event title, objective, audiences and host organisation
- Date, time, venue, room and realistic capacity
- Speakers, moderator, language and interpretation needs
- Recording permissions and photo/video arrangements
- Sound, microphones, projection, internet and accessibility
- Registration method, check-in responsibilities and data handling
- On-site lead, supplier contacts, decision maker and fallback plan
Confirm what the venue already supplies. A microphone, technician, screen or internet connection may not be included simply because a room is booked.
A COP31-specific decision: Blue Zone or elsewhere?
A Blue Zone room can be useful for delegates already inside the venue, but it limits attendance to people with the required access. An independent Antalya venue may allow a different mix of local groups, businesses, researchers and participants without Blue Zone badges. Write down who you need in the room before deciding where to hold the event. This is a planning trade-off, not a claim that a particular room is available.
6. Invite for relevance
Make invitations specific: why this person, what question they can contribute to, when to arrive, and what happens afterwards. Use a short event description that can be pasted into partner websites or shared by speakers. If the event is outside the Blue Zone, give clear transport guidance without promising travel times.
7. Decide what happens after the event
Before the event, assign responsibility for notes, permissions, follow-up contacts and a short report. A useful result may be a published summary, agreed next steps, a partner meeting or a record of questions that remain unresolved. Choose one.
Final planning check
- Event format and access route confirmed
- Venue, date and responsible organiser confirmed
- Clear outcome and realistic agenda
- Speakers and moderator briefed
- Interpretation, AV and accessibility checked
- Registration and participant communication ready
- On-site coordination and contingency contact assigned
- Follow-up owner identified
Related service — SICI: Need support with programme design, speakers, participant experience or Antalya suppliers? Social Institute of Change and Impact (SICI), through COP31Radar, can discuss the particular parts of your event that need support. View the current service overview: Services.
Sources: UNFCCC side events and exhibits · SEORS COP31 · COP31 participant information. Checked 9 October 2026.