Fight tooth and nail to win battle
IT was a Monday like no other in Glasgow as hundreds of world leaders arrived in the city for the COP26 climate summit.
From the president of France to the prime minister of Canada, they all headed to the SEC on Clydeside for what was billed as the largest political gathering ever held in the UK.
The M8 between Edinburgh and Glasgow became Scotland’s most heavily policed road in history as Joe Biden and his huge presidential entourage flew into the capital before making the commute west.
The leaders left the summit at around 5pm last night to make the short trip along Argyle Street for a VIP reception at Kelvingrove Museum.
The residents of Glasgow had never seen anything like it – with pedestrians banned from even crossing the road at one point to ensure the fleet of limousines arrived uninterrupted.
But while the eyes of the world were trained on the great and the good the most important act of the day happened on the south bank of the River Clyde in a world very different from the UN convention.
Greta Thunberg attended a rally in Festival Park in Govan.
Her choice of venue was deliberate as the historic old shipbuilding community remains one of the most deprived council wards in the country.
And Greta knows the best way to battle climate change is to win hearts and minds among the world’s poor – as well as the global elite.
A former UK representative on climate change yesterday noted that poverty in the city would barely be noticed by attendees – as he pointed out that many residents cannot afford the basics, let alone eco-friendly boilers.
John Ashton was right to spell out the disconnect between London-based professionals visiting COP, and the lives of families in Govan, less than a mile from the SEC.
But none of this should diminish the importance of what COP is trying to achieve.
Climate change represents the single biggest challenge facing humanity.
It’s easy to blame political leaders for inaction, but we all have a duty to make changes to our own lives to help the environment.
Rising temperatures are not something we can just shrug off as a remote political debate.
It impacts us all and a path to keeping climate change to just 1.5 degrees Celsius must be found.
Every family deserves the best treatment for its loved ones – regardless of where they live.
It is a battle we will only win if we all fight tooth and nail – from the most powerful man in the free world to struggling families in Scotland’s poorest communities.