【1979 Archives】

COP26979 Archiveswell under way — and so are the protests.

The U.N. Climate Change Conference, running until Friday in Glasgow, has seen world leaders meeting to discuss a global commitment to fighting climate change and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In response, activists have brought these conversations to the streets outside the summit, even skipping school to do so.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands protested for climate justice, on what was deemed by organisers as the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice, "bringing together movements to build power for system change — from indigenous struggles to trade unions, from racial justice groups to youth strikers." The largest protest took place in the city where COP26 is being held — in Glasgow, around 100,000 people took to the streets to push for significant reform.

Elsewhere, 250 protests were simultaneously held around the world, including in South Korea, Kenya, Australia, Portugal, France, Brazil, Turkey, and Canada.

"Climate justice recognises that all of our struggles lead back to the same unjust system," read the call to action from COP26 Coalition (a UK-based coalition of groups and individuals mobilising around climate justice during COP26). "We need climate action that works for all of us, not just the people with the most money in their pocket."

"The crisis will not be solved if those most affected are not central to the solutions and decision-making," it continues. "The impacts of the climate crisis vary across areas and communities. This means the best solutions for each area must be shaped by those who are experiencing the impacts. In many cases, indigenous and frontline communities have known the solutions for centuries. And after all, we should all be able to participate in decisions that affect us."

Activist Vanessa Nakate, who has advocated for equality and inclusion in the climate movement, spoke at the rally, while fellow activist Greta Thunberg attended but did not speak at this event.

"Leaders rarely have the courage to lead. It takes citizens, people like you and me, to rise up and demand action. And when we do that in great enough numbers, our leaders will move," Nakate told the crowd.

Glasgow's assistant chief constable Gary Ritchie said the protests occurred "largely without incident" and people were "generally good natured". Though 21 Scientist Rebellion protesters were arrested for chaining themselves to Glasgow's King George V Bridge, it makes fewer than 50 arrests at the summit to date.

In Glasgow and other locations, protester signs depicted emotion, creativity, and an unmistakeable demand for climate justice. Attendees also donned costumes including masks of powerful world leaders accused of not doing enough to combat climate change, and a massive paper bird sculpture was paraded through the streets of the city.

The message from this massive, worldwide demonstration could not be clearer.

dxi

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