The World Wants Climate Justice- The People of Glasgow are at the Center

by Tony Inglis & Laurie Goering

Midway through the high-level talks of the United Nations COP26 climate conference in Glasgow’s Scottish Exhibition Centre (SEC), more than 100,000 people took to the streets for climate justice Saturday, November 6.

Glasgow-based staff of the International Network of Street Papers (INSP) attended the protests to help spread the message that climate justice is social justice and that it should be inclusive of all members of society. The spirit of the protests was in line with calls from street papers for climate justice that is intersectional, takes inequality into account, and which recognizes that people living in poverty are likely to be more impacted by global warming and in need of more protection and support.

It was a typically Scottish protest. Rain lashed down for much of the early part of the day, with some sunshine and blue skies later on, perhaps a metaphor for the dire state of the climate crisis – things are bad, but there are glimmers of hope. The weather did not dampen enthusiasm, as evidenced by the catchy chants and imaginative signs from a mix of social groups and causes.

The only disturbance came as police attempted to remove the direct action group Scientist Rebellion, which had blocked the King George V bridge that connects the central and southern parts of the city.

Representatives of environmental groups said they struggled with limited access to the UN negotiations, and were shut out of areas for key political discussions on Monday, November 1 and Tuesday, November 2, while world leaders were at the summit. They were later allowed to enter those parts of the SEC, but Sebastien Duyck, a senior attorney with the Center for International Environmental Law, said that caps on numbers in the main rooms might leave them unable to participate and influence outcomes. Also missing were representatives from Indigenous peoples affected by climate change.

"The fact that we are operating in the CO- VID context has completely changed the way we can put the premises at your disposal," UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa told journalists on November 3.

Outside the talks, Greta Thunberg and her Fridays for Future peers rallied in a park in one of Glasgow's poorer areas, while Extinction Rebellion activists protested outside a dinner for world leaders and led street marches. A group of young climate activists sailed Greenpeace's famed ship, the Rainbow Warrior, up the River Clyde near the SEC.

Jacob Karlsson, 26, an activist from Sweden who joined the Extinction Rebellion march, said he came to Glasgow because "it's now or never" to win action to curb global warming.

Karlson said negotiators needed to produce something not even on the table at the Glasgow talks: legally binding commitments to slash emissions in the short-term.

Many nations and companies are instead pledging only action by 2050 or later - and commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change are voluntary.

Still, "I think they feel the pressure" from protesters, Karlson said. He quoted a speech by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the opening of the talks, "it's one minute to midnight on that doomsday clock and we need to act now".

Courtesy of the International Network of Street Papers (INSP.ngo)

INSP staff member Colleen Tait holds a sign made to represent street papers at the November 6 COP26 protest march in central Glasgow. Other INSP team members Tony Inglis, Niamh Rae and Maree Aldam also attended

INSP Photo