Scotland's voluntary sector groups launch massive Cop26 push
The people of Scotland will have their say on the climate and nature emergency.
A new campaign will bring the voices of thousands of ordinary people to bear on attempts to save the planet from environmental ruin.
It is being co-ordinated across Scotland’s charity and voluntary sector and is supported by an array of leading groups.
The Climate Scotland campaign has been launched in the run-up to the crucial Cop26 climate summit which will be held in Glasgow in November.
Through Climate Scotland, people can send leaders a message to show they want strong and meaningful action to protect the things they love, and create a better future for people everywhere.
Climate Scotland is a sister campaign to another running in Wales, Climate Cymru. Together, they will represent voices from two of the four UK nations and their devolved governments.
People visiting the Climate Scotland website are able to add their voice to the campaign by selecting a topic that is most of interest to them and adding a comment to say why.
Topics cover a broad range of perspectives and include flourishing communities, greener, fairer livelihoods, wildlife and nature and sustainable food systems.
The campaign aims to collect 10,000 messages and share them at the Cop26 talks, either at the Green Zone (an official UK government space) or another high profile venue. Through this, everyone in Scotland has the opportunity to show world leaders how much they care about the climate and nature emergencies.
More than 20 charities, civil society groups and non-profit organisations – including the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Oxfam and RSPB Scotland - have already signed up to be a campaign partner.
It is being co-ordinated by the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), itself a diverse coalition of over 60 organisations working together on climate change.
Becky Kenton-Lake, coalition coordinator at SCCS, said: “The climate emergency threatens our communities, the Scottish nature we know and love, and our prospects for a healthier and fairer future. It’s happening now, and it’s particularly affecting those around the world who have done the least to cause it.
“In November, the eyes of the world will turn to Glasgow as world leaders gather for the Cop26 UN climate summit. This gives us a unique opportunity to shape global action and help achieve a fair outcome for communities around the world. Through the Climate Scotland campaign, we can show our leaders just how much we care.”
South Seeds, a community-led organisation based in Glasgow’s southside, supports residents to lead more sustainable lives.
Lucy Gillie, its general manager, said: “People around the world need to transform their lives to avoid climate chaos. Here in Glasgow, homes need to be heated with clean energy, active travel needs to become easier and we all need to eat more seasonal produce.
“To achieve this in such a short amount of time, action needs to start now – not just at policy level but on the ground where we need it. If communities can be enabled to start making these transformations, we are more likely to achieve net-zero in time. Decision-makers should be supporting and enabling us all to lead lower carbon lives now – that’s why we support the Climate Scotland campaign.” To add your voice to the campaign, or to become a partner, visit climatescotland.org.
