Do you care about climate change? Are you planning to buy an electric car even though it’s 60% more expensive than a petrol one? Are you changing your eating habits to be more plant based, and buying habits to dramatically reduce the amount you throw away in your home? Would you donate to a fund to pay for an air source heat pump for a family in fuel poverty?

These are the domestic versions of the kinds of actions we’re asking world leaders to commit to at a country and global level at Cop26. So, are they going to do it? Let’s hope so because I’m not ready to make all of the changes I’ve suggested above, but something needs to change and fast.

Climate change feels like something we’ve failed to respond to at a global and local level for decades, and now we’re facing the imminent prospect of another major crisis to our way of life, it is the time to start pushing ourselves individually and collectively.

We live in countries with local and national governments because human beings make better decision collectively, including forcing through the tough changes. I expect my council to provide recycling facilities and my government to roll out more electric car charging points and work with manufacturers to bring down costs. I also expect government and businesses to explore affordable alternatives to gas central heating.

However, despite my expectations, a UN report last month suggested that even with all the existing promises, global carbon emissions are on track to rise by 16% by 2030. We need them to fall by half to keep temperature rises below 1.5C.

So, where does this leave us as individuals and voluntary sector organisations? Climate change is scary and huge and even if it’s not impacting on your life or the lives of your community now, it soon will be.

Excess summer deaths could become an issue in Scotland if summers continue to heat up; winds, storms and flooding will affect public transport, homes and public buildings, carers may struggle to reach the homes of people they look after; the costs of food and consumer goods will go up and some things we take for granted, like bread, could become hard to get.

All of this feels speculative right now, but the evidence is clear that climate change is here. People are going to have to learn do things differently. They will have to learn to use electric cars but also walk and cycle more, they will need cook more plant-based meals, to limit the amount of energy they use, to buy less and throw away less. These are major changes and people will need help to make them.

Certain groups are going to struggle more than others and changes are already discriminating – car free zones exclude disabled and elderly people and research shows that those who are starting to make life-style changes are by and large middle class.

So, environment may not be one of your charitable purposes and maybe it’s not something you’ve ever really care about that much, but that doesn’t matter, it’s here and you are going to have to adapt. Climate change needs to make its way onto your risk register and your business planning now.

If Cop26 does one thing for Scotland, it will encourage us to open our eyes to the reality of climate change. If you want to help advocate for more government action, we urge you to sign up to the Climate Scotland campaign to show our leaders why it’s important. From a practical point of view check out SCVO’s ‘how to start your organisation’s journey to net zero’ guide.

SCVO is exploring the role of the voluntary sector in climate change and net zero in more depth with activities and events throughout November and beyond. Look out for us at the Scottish Government’s Climate Ambition Zone at Cop26 on Monday, 8 November.

Susan Smith is SCVO’s campaigns manager.