COP Protesters call out Hypocrisy of Global Leaders
A word from Climate Activists in Glasgow
Attending the climate march in Glasgow last weekend was a rejuvenating experience calling in to question my somewhat stagnating views on the current climate crisis. Travelling up via train beforehand I had been scrolling through the coverage of the conference so far, cautiously optimistic that the barrage of pledges and promises would do well to divert us from our current destructive path. My ill tuned optimism however turned out to be at odds with the unsympathetic mood I found brewing in Glasgow. It was clear as I joined protesters in Kelvingrove park ahead of Friday’s youth march that parents and students alike still felt very much betrayed by world leaders efforts at the summit, something many viewed as a mere publicity stunt. For the activists in Glasgow pledges and promises could only stave off discontent for so long and without evidence of content progress, many felt abandoned by their politicians.
My view of the climate crisis that had centred around, washing my cans before recycling them, eating a low carbon diet and taking the bus into Leeds city centre instead of an uber was suddenly dwarfed by the large scale environmental negligence these protesters were highlighting. The realisation of such immediate effects of the crisis took hold. Here in the UK, we are often bullied into action by the fact that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will bear the brunt of the climate catastrophe. However, listening to speeches by indigenous activists at the Friday’s for Future march, the climate emergency was reframed as an attack by the Global North on the Global South – wherein an economic chokehold allows rich countries to freely ravage the recourse rich south for oil and gas exports. Consequently, communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia, and Latin America are already facing an undisclosed environmental cost for the maintenance of our consumer heavy lifestyle. It was suddenly not enough to want to prevent the future destruction global warming would inflict when faced with the evidence that this was the reality for many indigenous communities already.
While the protesters I met were of various ages, backgrounds and from all over the UK however, almost all were sceptical that the promises made inside the conference were little more than “blah blah blah” as Greta had mused. Many cited the plans for the new Cambo Oil Field as evidence of the government’s ulterior motives. The snippets of my encounters I recorded stand as a humbling reminder that the actions of our government in the wake of this crisis will, without discrimination, stand to affect us all.
Rick and Sue, both who work in Environmental Action said they were both motivated to come out to the rainy march on Saturday as their current professions “don’t seem to be enough and we need to make things happen quicker”. While both had attended the Green Zone, a section of the summit open to the public which they felt was “very informative” they were dismayed at the wider outcome of the conference. Sue commented that COP 26 was merely a “meeting for world leaders” and that she disliked “all the shilly shalling and not getting anywhere”. At the next COP she hoped that there would be evidence of “action on the promises rather than just words”.
Rick said he was keen to see the protest draw a wider audience to the climate emergency remarking, “While a lot of people already on the marches and protests have probably got all the information and are linked into the social justice side of climate change and are aware of the impact it is having on the global south, I have witnessed a bit of juxtaposition whilst walking around Glasgow seeing people with numerous Primark bags and Poundland bags – or people who are even on the marches buying costa coffees”
There were also many activists keen to represent regional interests at the march. Most notably for our Leeds based readers, this group of teenagers I bumped into marching for the Regional Youth Climate Assembly, an organisation that aims to represent environmental issues facing Yorkshire and Humber on a national scale.
One of the members Samuel explained, “Yorkshire itself, gets so much flooding as a consequence of the climate crisis and our own worries should not go unrepresented at an event like this”.
Another member, Curtis, added that it is important to acknowledge that other communities across the globe are facing similar unpredictabilities explaining the group was working on a project called the ‘ripple effect’ with The South African Institute of International Affairs. He added they were “excited to be developing a workshop in the green zone on Monday explaining the ‘ripple effect’ and about the intersectionality within climate change”.
Alongside them was University of Glasgow student, Theo, who the group met after spotting him carrying the Yorkshire rose. Theo, also from Yorkshire, spoke of local-level problems in a similar vein saying, “It’s sad that the North is constantly underrepresented in national politics and this is no different for issues of climate change in which we are experiencing in full effect”
Also from Yorkshire was Simon Moore, who currently works for the Leeds Climate Commission at the University of Leeds. Simon remarked of the demonstrations that while he “was desperate to be here and to be involved in the mass activism like we taking part in today” he had also been active in the Green Zone of the summit on behalf of the climate commissions to connect with “people and projects that are working at more of a local level”.
He commented on the scale of the climate crisis that while “Obviously this is a global negotiation” his role is key in “trying to implement some of these changes at a local level where people are likely to be affected and where we can really make change happen”
Of the summit, he acknowledged mixed views saying that while he “came here knowing I would be disappointed in terms of the agreement on a global level” he felt “privileged that I have been able to attend as it is relatively on our doorstep being from Leeds and I have had the opportunity to meet really interesting people, projects and perspectives”
Green New Deal Rising, a climate pressure group pushing for a 10 year plan to combat the climate crisis, were another vocal organisation at the march. The group bounced along the protest route to chants such as “Get up get down, keep that carbon in the ground” and waving eye-catching hand-painted signs to draw attention to their plan to decarbonise the UK economy and create unionised green energy jobs.
When I asked what the activists thought of the political progress at the summit the question was met with incredulous laughter. The protest itself they felt was more promising remarking that it was “nice to see so many different groups of people come together and show their support for action”. Of the group’s aims, Cheif, (second left), said that the protest was important to “get our bill to the government and gain support to put our 10-year plan into full effect”. He concluded defiantly, “it ain’t over till it’s over”.
Locals Claire and Max came out to show their support for the 100,000 or so climate activists marching in Glasgow. Claire said of the march that it was “a privilege to be able to protest for climate justice, which is an accessibility for a lot of people, so it is nice to be present and have a voice”. Of the summit being held in her hometown she said that while she was “happy to see the activism community, there have been a lot of disruptions on a local level to accommodate world leaders in our city”. She laughed, “We don’t want the 400 private jets here increasing Glasgow’s C02 output”.
Max said of the world leaders presence at the Summit, “They like to talk not to act but ultimately they have not done what they have needed to do for a long time.” He criticises governments individualising blame and drawing attention away from big polluters arguing “We can all do our bit, we can all go vegan, we can cut out our plastic use, we can try and recycle everywhere and take public transport but that is not where all this big damage is coming from.” He continues “It is the governments that are facilitating these actions of these huge corporations and ultimately this whole individualisation of responsibility is only going to make things harder”.
The protest of COP26 we’re an eye-opening experience, encouraging me to be more critical of the headline news and soundbites world leaders are keen to push. The COP protesters I encountered tackled the climate crisis with an analytical eye, keen to see a real change in policy and emissions rather than just rhetoric. I returned to Leeds feeling the same.
