That awkward moment when your climate conference literally has to save the world
That awkward moment when your climate conference literally has to save the world
The climate movement's favourite acronym is here and it's called COP26.
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It’s 1am and I am on fire.
27 degrees Celsius and the IPCC report is burning a hole in my mind, and I am drafting impassioned speeches in my head as I try to sleep.
It’s 2am and I’m burning out.
I open WhatsApp for the 50th time that day and message my friends to tell them I’m quitting working on climate action.
The Climate Problem, the world’s largest elephant in the room, is our constant companion, the never-ending static in our heads with no Off button.
How - I said to the friend that had the misfortune to call me the next day - can I be anything less than paralysed and depressed as we are catapulted into an electrifying terrifying future?
She said: if you’re worried these are the last few good years before the world falls apart, then shouldn’t you take some time to enjoy them?
It sucks. Things suck. Things will suck more later. Sorry. But you can know that - you can feel your grief and rage and anxiety - and still find space for happiness.
The climate crisis is here whether I spend my time in a desperate search for blissful ignorance, or burning myself out trying to talk people into preventing the end of our world. It’s here whether I’m paralysed watching mindless YouTube videos in my room, or going out and lying in the park with a book.
It is not naïve to enjoy the weather and days out and a good coffee in the face of the apocalypse. Don’t be so busy mourning future losses that you miss the chance to enjoy them while they’re still here.
Fighting for a liveable planet is… it’s a job I don’t want, it is the only thing I can imagine doing, it is the only realistic way out.
So voilà. Hopeless, hopeful, anxious, carefree, however you feel - we keep going.
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What’s Going On?
Greenhouse gas emissions must peak within four years, says leaked version of final section of IPCC report.
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Useful: Why are there so many wildfires happening this summer?Shell to pay €95m to local communities in Nigeria for oil spills in 1970s.
Useful: 10 reasons to boycott Shell.
Focus On… COP26
Climate Reality Project Leader, Bradlie Luisa Ana Martz-Sigala, introduces the year’s biggest climate conference.
My name is Bradlie Luisa Ana Martz-Sigala. I am German-American and trained as a Climate Reality Leader in Berlin in 2018 with The Climate Reality Project.
I am located in Finland and am active in Climate Reality’s European, Nordic and German branches. I also work as a research assistant and coordinator at the University of Eastern Finland Law School’s Center for Climate Change, Energy, and Environmental Law (CCEEL).
Climate Reality was founded by Al Gore to address the climate crisis through education and various campaigns. Currently, there are around 30,000 Climate Reality Leaders worldwide.
What is COP26?
COP stands for Conference of Parties. When the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was founded in the early 1990s, countries agreed to meet regularly to discuss climate issues.
COP brings together all the countries of the world, representatives, delegations, NGOs, civil society, and other interested businesses to discuss climate issues (and how to regulate them).
We’re now approaching COP26 this November, the 26th meeting of parties.
Due to COVID-19, there was no COP in 2020. That COP was supposed to address the national targets (called NDCs - Nationally Determined Contributions) that each country was meant to have updated to stay below 1.5 degrees C of warming.
The IPCC report released last week makes it clear that we need all countries’ goals to be aligned with this 1.5 C target.
Why is COP 26 a big deal in the climate movement?
COP brings everybody from around the world to the table to discuss the climate crisis, which is a huge achievement! There is also a lot of media focus during the weeks of these negotiations.
For COP26, one of the hot-topic issues this year is climate finance. They will be trying to determine how much each country should contribute.
Should Western countries give more because they have a greater responsibility since they’ve polluted more in the past and emitted more greenhouse gases? How will this money be raised? Will there be serious commitments? How will it be dispersed and how will it be used?
Politicians seem to have conferences all the time promising action but then missing their targets, and the climate is getting worse every year. Will COP26 be any different?
I think politicians always have to aim higher than what they can deliver on. But as more pressure is put on governments by their constituents, there is reason to believe some of these timelines will be accelerated.
For example, after the release of this week's IPCC report, Finland has accelerated some of its climate deadlines. In countries like Finland, where people are free to protest, it makes it easier for governments to know and act on the will of their people. In many countries, people fear backlash from their governments where their right to protest and have their voices heard is not guaranteed or even allowed.
It’s difficult to say what will happen at COP26, but COPs contribute to progress and that's better than not having it.
I’m a citizen and I feel like I have no influence over these high-level political events. Is there anything I can do to make a difference for COP 26?
Yes, you, as a citizen, can make an impact.
Think bottom-up, grassroots local activism. What you do in your local government trickles up to the higher levels where you can influence the top. Becoming engaged at the local level is probably where you can see the most impact from campaigning. It is an uphill battle but one we can win.
This last IPCC report and the many climate disasters we’ve seen this summer all over the world have been a wake-up call to many people. Hopefully, this will spur more people to take action in their communities.
You can also follow along in real-time as COP26 unfolds and inform people in your community. But what I think activists should know is that the best time to share their views with their government is not just during COP but right after COP, because the position your government takes the next year is already being formed as soon as the COP ends.
It’s important to celebrate every step of progress. It’s not all gloom and doom out there. There is a lot of hope!
You can become a Climate Reality Leader volunteer in the upcoming global training on 16-24th October. More info here. You can also follow @climatereality on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
So Now What Do I Do?
LEARN MORE
Tune into 2050 Climate Group’s online summit on the 4th September to learn how young people can make a difference at COP26.
Register free for ClientEarth’s global environmental summit on 28th - 30th September.
Crowdsourcing Sustainability have put together a document of people working on climate action in different professional sectors. Find yours and connect.
TRY SOMETHING NEW
Put in your application to join the Executive Board of Youth & Environment Europe by the 7th September.
Submit your creative work on the urgency of climate action for the #CreateCOP26 campaign by the 20th September. $10k prize available.
Based in Scotland? Sign up to the Homestay network to offer your sofa to a climate activist travelling to COP26.
CHANGE THE SYSTEM
Sign this Greenpeace petition calling on UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to get serious about climate change.
Sign the open letter by SheChangesClimate to demand better representation of women in COP26 climate negotiations.
Join the youth constituency of the UN’s climate change work to make sure young people are heard during negotiations.
By the way….
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Self-care is one of the most important things in climate activism right now. We need you - and countless others who are striving for a better world - to be healthy and happy. Look after yourself 💚
Great summary of COP26; I found it really helpful.