Influencers targeted to boost climate forum

ENGAGING the youth is a constant struggle for politicians – and the UK’S upcoming climate change summit is seeking expertise in a novel area.

The Cabinet Office is searching for someone to persuade social media influencers to help it promote the international COP26 environment conference in Glasgow in November.

The £65,000, one-year contract for a “relationship manager – influencers and civil society” asks for someone to be the “primary focal point for all the influencers we work with”. The hire, set to begin work in March, would “manage partnerships with high-profile influencers around the globe to promote COP26 and climate action. You will identify events and other opportunities to publicly promote COP26 and climate action, tailored to the profile of each individual, drawing on the support of our diplomatic network”.

The conference has previously engaged Blackpink, the South Korean pop group, to publicise the event, which was due to take place last year.

Blackpink, who have popularised the genre “K-pop” around the world, have a strong audience among young people and are the most followed girl group on

Spotify. In Instagram and Twitter messages last month, the group said climate change was a “global challenge” and admitted that they were “not experts, and we’re not fully aware of all the issues, but we do care about our planet and we want to learn more”.

Earlier this week, Full Fact, the factchecking charity, found £63,000 had been spent paying 42 social media influencers to post on Instagram about the Government’s Covid-19 Test and Trace service. A Freedom of Information request found that celebrities including those from the reality TV show Island and professional sports players had been paid to promote the scheme.