From protests to historic promises: Highlights from the COP26 summit we won't forget
Whether the COP26 summit in Glasgow was a failure or success only time will tell. However, the summit, which saw over 120 world leaders gather to discuss climate change and its adverse effects, really captured the attention of the world
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Climate activists in thousands marched across Glasgow, the venue of the COP26 summit, urging world leaders to do more to tackle the climate crisis. The protesters braved torrential rain to take part in the rally denouncing inaction and greenwashing of the global climate summit. “Our world is under attack, stand up fight back,” they chanted. AP
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Activists from all around the world came down to Glasgow to protest the lack of concrete action being taken by world leaders to fight against climate change. ‘Clean up your mess,’ ‘blah, blah’ blah’ were just some of the chants that they yelled out during the massive rally. AP
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Members of Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement, also participated in the protests in Glasgow. Dressed in red robes, they had a dramatic effect and blocked roads, leading to at least eight members being arrested by the Glasgow police. AP
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Protesters at the COP26 came from all walks of life; every age, race, gender and group was accounted for. The protests which took place on the sixth day of the summit continued till the last day — today — and has led to Glasgow police officials arresting a total of 70 people in total. AP
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One of the most recognisable climate activists, Greta Thunberg, also landed up at Glasgow to participate in the protests being held outside the COP26 summit venue. Addressing a mass rally, she said that the COP26 climate summit had been a “failure”. She said, “The people in power can continue to live in their bubble filled with their fantasies, like eternal growth on a finite planet and technological solutions that will suddenly appear seemingly out of nowhere and will erase all of these crises just like that. All this while the world is literally burning, on fire, and while the people living on the front lines are still bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.” AP
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While the protests outside made big headlines, events at the summit itself also garnered eyeballs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made big headlines when he announced that India pledged to cut its emissions to net zero by 2070. He also made a promise for India to get 50 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2030. AP
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also made headlines at the summit, albeit for the wrong reasons. Johnson faced backlash after he was pictured not wearing a face covering while sitting next to 95-year-old broadcaster Sir David Attenborough at COP26. Asked about the controversy by CNN, Johnson fluffed his answer before saying: “I’ve been wearing masks in confined spaces with people I don’t normally talk to… it’s up to people to take a judgment whether they’re at a reasonable distance from someone… that’s the approach we take.” AP
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The foreign minister of Tuvalu, an island in the South Pacific, turned into a hero after he filmed a speech to climate summit COP26 standing knee-deep in the ocean to show how the nation is vulnerable to global warming. Simon Kofe’s video showed him at a lectern in a suit and tie in the water off the island nation’s capital, Funafuti. The image quickly went viral and became one of the big talking points of the summit. Image Courtesy: Tuvalu Foreign Ministry/Twitter
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It wasn’t only leaders who made news inside the climate meet. Indian teenager Vinisha Umashankar, the 14-year-old from Tamil Nadu, was invited by Prince William to speak at a meeting discussing clean technology and innovation at the climate conference. Vinisha was a finalist from Prince William’s Earthshot Prize – a global prize for work supporting the environment. In her speech, which won global applause, she said: “Many of my generation are angry and frustrated at leaders who’ve made empty promises and failed to deliver. And we have every reason to be angry. But I’ve no time for anger. I want to act. I’m not just a girl from India. I’m a girl from Earth and I’m proud to be so. I’m also a student, innovator, environmentalist and entrepreneur but most importantly, I’m an optimist.” Image Courtesy: @EarthshotPrize/Twitter
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Former US president Barack Obama also made an appearance at the Glasgow climate change to much love. Speaking at the summit, he said, “Meaningful progress has been made since Paris. What is also true is that collectively and individually we are still falling short. We have not done nearly enough to address this crisis.” For much of his speech, Obama spoke directly to young people, often acknowledging their anger: “For most of your lives you’ve been bombarded with warnings about what the future will look like if you don’t address climate change, but you see adults who act like the problem doesn’t exist,” he said. “You are right to be frustrated. Folks in my generation have not done enough to deal with a potentially cataclysmic problem that you now stand to inherit.” AP
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There was a lot of star power too at the COP26 summit. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, actor Leonardo DiCaprio all made it to the conference. The Hollywood star, who is a UN climate change representative, apparently hopped on to a commercial flight to make it to Glasgow. DiCaprio has donated millions to environmental organisations and backed ventures such as those producing trainers made from natural materials. He also described campaigner Greta Thunberg as a “leader of our time” when they met in 2019. AP
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Artwork from the COP26 also grabbed headlines, especially this one tonne heart-shaped ice sculpture created by artist, Envy at the Govan Dry Dock on the Clyde, near the SEC. The sculpture represents the hundreds of thousands of people in every part of the UK calling for greater action on climate change from political leaders. AFP
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