Climate campaigners and interest groups in south London are readying themselves with an array of events and actions in their communities ahead of next month’s crucial climate summit.
The chance to join a citizen’s assembly, and many talks, workshops and even a festival will all take place during the COP26 Summit, which takes places in Glasgow October 31-November 12.
The summit is billed as a key chance to take decisive action on the climate emergency after a landmark report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published earlier this year.
The report found the severe dangers associated with a warming planet, such as food shortages and more extreme weather events, were already underway, and that the only way to stop things getting worse was to end carbon emissions worldwide as soon as possible.
The Wandsworth #TogetherOnClimateChange Festival includes a session for businesses& organisations on using cargo bikes to cut emissions
Speakers include @putney_bid @pedalmeapp & Osman O’Connor & Co
➡️Sign up now https://t.co/7h0LhOo2Qj
➡️See all events https://t.co/fxX62ea4mU pic.twitter.com/0gGkPSfUZm
— Wandsworth Council (@wandbc) October 21, 2021
In response, south London authorities and campaigners alike are ramping up their actions to align with the UK’s hosting of the summit.
In Kingston and across the UK, for example, people concerned about the climate are being asked to sign up to the Global Assembly, a project that will see 100 people randomly selected for an assembly that will pool participants their ideas on how to deal with the climate crisis into recommendations that will be presented to world leaders in Glasgow next month.
Those not selected for the in-person assembly can contribute in smaller events being held including in Kingston on Saturday (October 30) between 2-5pm (see here).
“It will be a safe, varied and enjoyable experience, led by trained facilitators. You’ll hear some of the arguments that people in the core assembly will hear, watch some of their videos, and have plenty of time to have your say through games, role play and discussion,” a spokesperson for the project said.
#NEWS: The council has created a draft action plan which sets out the steps it could take to become carbon neutral by 2038 and help reduce carbon emissions across the borough.
Read more and find out how to help shape the plan:https://t.co/huolkn20Re
··· pic.twitter.com/8XbziWW2Nh
— Kingston Council (@RBKingston) October 15, 2021
Many direct actions including protests and rallies are expected in London and at the conference from groups like Youth Strike For Climate (Fridays For Future) and Greenpeace.
Meanwhile, authorities in south London are also playing a role.
Wandsworth Council, for example, are hosting an astounding array of events between November 8-13 to coincide with the vital final days of the summit.
Everything from business leaders advice on decarbonising one’s own business and a workshop on home composting to a huge event in line for the final day of COP26 on Saturday November 13 at Battersea Arts Centre called ‘Wandsworth Together on Climate Change Festival’.
Richmond Council are taking a similar organizing role with the borough’s very own climate week, that will centre community climate groups with Habitats and Heritage between November 1-7. (See here).
And in Kingston, the council have recently launched engagement with residents about how they should act after declaring a climate emergency in June 2019. The council recently published a draft plan of potential actions the borough could take to become carbon neutral by 2038.
They are also planning to hold a citizen’s assembly on air quality in the borough.
Click here for a full list of events happening in Wandsworth, here for Kingston and here for Richmond.
https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/19664885.climate-crisis-array-events-south-london-cop26/
