Opportunities to meet world leaders and climate activists
More children and young people will have the chance to get involved in COP26.A further £35,000 funding from the Scottish Government will increase the reach of initiatives from ReNew the World and Campaign Collective who organise events to meet world leaders and climate activists.
The funding will also support the Climate Changemakers programme from the Children’s Parliament, which will provide opportunities for children up to 14-years-old to share their ideas for tackling the climate crisis.
In July the Scottish Government announced £450,000 to support COP26’s Youth Climate Programme and a further £300,000 in September to fund the Conference of Youth.
Minister for Children and Young People Clare Haughey said: “Children and young people in Scotland are driving forward the cause for climate action and it is vital we listen to their views and harness their passion as part of COP26 and its legacy.
“We have now invested £950,000 to involve our children and young people in COP26 and the ongoing climate conversation. This will ensure they not only have a strong voice during the event, but also have a say in what should happen after.”
Director of ReNew the World Ewan Hunter said: “COP26 provides the opportunity for the world to look at the challenges we face on climate in a rational, but optimistic, positive, way. One based upon renewal, innovation and opportunity.
“By creating the opportunities for engagement, we can give these young people the chance to write a very different story for their generation’s future and their vision of our collective journey to net zero.”
Last month the Scottish Government announced £160,000 of funding for Local Authority Climate Champions. The programme is being delivered in partnership with Young Scot, YouthLink Scotland and Keep Scotland Beautiful.
GMB Scotland members employed by Glasgow City Council have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over their pay, which would see strikes across the city’s cleansing service and schools during the International Climate Conference, COP 26.
Pay talks with COSLA, the umbrella body that represents each of Scotland’s local authorities, have stalled, with the employer refusing to budge from an £850 flat rate offer to all local government workers – far short of the £2,000 pay claim that was submitted by the joint trade unions GMB, Unison & Unite.
Following a ballot of cleansing workers and school support staff across the country, Glasgow is the largest of 5 councils in Scotland that could see strike action as soon as November 1st.
96.9% of returned ballots in Glasgow were in favour of strike action.
GMB Scotland represents close to 900 workers in Glasgow’s refuse & cleansing service and a further 600 across Glasgow schools providing cleaning, janitorial and catering services.
GMB Glasgow Cleansing Convenor Chris Mitchell said:“Over the past 18 months throughout this awful pandemic, essential services across Scotland have been held together by an army of low paid workers.
“We were called key workers, even Covid heroes, but while politicians were happy to applaud us on Thursday nights, they’ve never put their hands in their pockets to pay us properly.
“The eyes of the world will be on Glasgow during COP 26, and our politicians now have a choice – will they fairly reward the frontline workers who got the country through the pandemic, or will they risk embarrassing the city and the country on an international stage?
“The message that our members have sent with this ballot result is clear. We are taking a stand for what we deserve, and we believe the people will stand with us.”
Scotland’s rail network will also be hit by strikes during the UN climate summit in Glasgow, the RMT union confirmed yesterday.
Smaller countries’ actions crucial to tackling climate emergency
The First Minister has called for immediate, ambitious action from smaller countries as part of the international response to the climate emergency as the pivotal COP26 conference in Glasgow approaches.
Speaking at the TED international Countdown Summit in Edinburgh, the First Minister pointed to Scotland’s role as a powerhouse of the industrial revolution and more recent technological feats – including the world’s largest floating windfarm, off Aberdeen, and the world’s most powerful wave power turbine, being tested in the Pentland Firth – as a demonstration of how smaller countries can provide climate leadership.
During the speech, she also highlighted Scotland’s world-leading emissions reduction legislation and emphasised the need to ensure a just transition that helps prevent countries who may not have the means to respond or adapt being hit hardest by its effects.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: ““Scotland, this small country, has decarbonised faster than any G20 country. We have just become the first nation in the world that is not an independent nation to publish an indicative nationally defined contribution – showing how we will meet the objectives of the Paris agreement, and we pledge to cut emissions by three quarters by 2030, and to be net zero by 2045.
“It is often states and regions and small nations that can step in when the bigger countries fail to act – and if we raise our ambition, and if we follow that through with action, then we can spur the bigger countries to go further – and faster, too.
“It’s not enough to cut our own emissions, although that is vital. We have to make sure that we are helping those who have done the least to cause climate change to do so too, and with the spirit of justice and fairness absolutely at the heart of that. Countries of all shapes and sizes must step up to this challenge.”
FIRST MINISTER’S TED SPEECH IN FULL
I’m going to start today with a question.
In other contexts, perhaps a risqué question perhaps – not one you would expect from someone in my position in a talk about climate change.
But it’s important.
Does size matter?
My answer – perhaps also unexpected – is that no, it really, really doesn’t.
And Scotland is proving that.
About a mile from here – in the National Museum of Scotland – you will find on display a steam engine designed by the great engineer James Watt.
A hundred miles from here, just off the coast of Aberdeen, is the world’s biggest floating windfarm.
And then, just a bit further north from there, in the Pentland Firth, we find the biggest wave power turbine being tested.
These are all extraordinary feats of technology and engineering, but they also demonstrate how Scotland – a relatively small country – led the world into the industrial age, and is now helping to power the world into the net zero age.
And there’s a lesson for us in that – when we talk about tackling climate change, we so often talk about the contributions of America, Russia, China, Brazil.
And that is important – we won’t limit global warming without these countries.
But we also have to recognise that the ambition, the leadership, and the action of small countries matters to.
In the words of the current Prime Minister of Estonia – “Small countries have no time for small objectives”.
And I really agree with that – we see examples of the leadership that small countries show everywhere we look.
Take Bhutan – one million people or thereabouts – became the first in the world to commit to being carbon neutral for all time.
Since then, 130 countries of all sizes have followed suit.
Or Fiji – in 2017, it hosted the UN climate conference and did so much to highlight the existential threat that climate change poses to island nations.
Now, a country like Scotland, with a rich industrial past, has a special responsibility. We have disproportionately contributed to climate change, so we must do more – now – to help tackle climate change.
So in recent years, Scotland, this small country, has decarbonised faster than any G20 country.
We have just become the first nation in the world that is not an independent nation – yet – to publish an indicative nationally defined contribution – showing how we will meet the objectives of the Paris agreement.
So we pledge to cut emissions by three quarters by 2030, and to be net zero by 2045.
We are also seeking to galvanise change on a global stage.
So we are currently the co-chair of a coalition that brings together 200 states, regions, devolved countries – like ours – to demonstrate leadership in meeting the challenge of climate change.
Now that coalition is not represented formally at UN summits – we are not signatories to the treaties that emerge from these summits.
But, collectively, we represent two billion people across the world.
And about half of the reduction in global emissions that we need to see will depend on the actions we take. They will depend on the legislation we pass; the infrastructure we build; the investments we fund.
So my point today is that yes, big countries matter, but the leadership of small nations matters too.
It’s often states and regions and small nations that can step in when the bigger countries fail to act.
So when Trump – disgracefully – took the America out of the Paris agreement, it was a coalition of states and cities that kept the momentum going.
And if we raise our ambition, and if we follow that through with action, then we can spur the bigger countries to go further – and faster, too.
And there’s one final point, where our voice and our contribution matters.
So often it’s states or devolved nations like Scotland that have to respond most directly to the impacts of climate change. Heatwaves, floods, hurricanes – we have to deal with the implications.
Now for Scotland, California, New South Wales – that is difficult but manageable.
For many others across the world, it is not. So climate justice matters too.
Which is why I’m proud that Scotland was the first country anywhere in the world to establish a climate justice fund.
It’s not enough to cut our own emissions, although that is vital.
We have to make sure that we are helping those who have done the least to cause climate change to do so too, and with the spirit of justice and fairness absolutely at the heart of that.
So, to conclude, my message today is that countries of all shapes and sizes must step up to this challenge.
We cannot allow our size to be something to hide behind.
When it comes to tackling climate change, size really, really does not matter.
We must think big in our ambition, we must act big in what we do, and we must be big when it comes to the impact we make.
The climate emergency can only be successfully tackled through greater focus on adapting to the inevitable climate impacts that we are already seeing, the Environment Agency has warned today (13 October) as it urged world leaders to step up to that challenge at COP26.
In a report to the UK Government, the agency has warned of more extreme weather leading to increased flooding and drought, sea level rises of up to 78cm by the 2080s, and public water supplies needing more than 3.4 billion extra litres of water per day by 2050. It has urged governments, businesses and society to embrace and invest in adaptation, rather than living with the costs of inaction.
With COP26 less than three weeks away, it has welcomed the UK Government’s focus on adaptation as well as mitigation, and the fact that climate adaptation is one of the Summit’s four key goals, but urged that more action is needed at a global level to protect the billions of lives and livelihoods that are at risk.
Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: “The climate crisis is global, but its impacts are in your village, your shop, your home. Adaptation action needs to be integral to government, businesses and communities too and people will soon question why it isn’t – especially when it is much cheaper to invest early in climate resilience than to live with the costs of inaction.
“While mitigation might save the planet, it is adaptation, preparing for climate shocks, that will save millions of lives. Choosing one over the other on the basis of a simple either/or calculation is like telling a bird it only needs one wing to fly.
“With that in mind, it is deeply worrying that adaptation is in danger of being grievously undercooked at COP26. Not by the UK Government, but by the world at large.
“Significant climate impacts are inevitable. We can successfully tackle the climate emergency if we do the right things, but we are running out of time to implement effective adaptation measures. Our thinking must change faster than the climate.
“Some 200 people died in this summer’s flooding in Germany. That will happen in this country sooner or later, however high we build our flood defences, unless we also make the places where we live, work and travel resilient to the effects of the more violent weather the climate emergency is bringing.
“It is adapt or die. With the right approach we can be safer and more prosperous. So let’s prepare, act and survive.”
Even with a 2°C temperature rise compared to pre-industrial levels, key projections within the report include:
Winter rainfall is expected to increase by approximately 6% by the 2050s and by 8% by the 2080s, compared to a 1981-2000 baseline.
Summer rainfall is expected to decrease by approximately 15% by the 2050s compared to a 1981-2000 baseline.
London’s sea level is expected to rise by between approximately 23cm by the 2050s and 45cm by the 2080s.
River flows will be more extreme. Peak flows are expected to be up to 27% higher in the 2050s, while in the summer months river flows could be 82% lower by as soon as 2050.
Public water supplies are expected to require more than 3.4 billion extra litres of water per day if no action is taken before 2050.
Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Chair of the CCC’s Adaptation Committee, said: “We’re pleased to see the Environment Agency publishing its latest climate change adaptation plan.
“This road map will be vital to ensuring our natural and built environments are well adapted to the significant changes in our climate taking place today, with more to come.
We urge all Government agencies, authorities, regulators and businesses big and small to get their adaptation plans together before the deadline on 31 December.
“We look forward to assessing the EA’s plan in early 2022 as part of our independent appraisal for Government of similar plans from across the public and private sectors.
The report also sets out five climate “reality checks” to make the case for urgent action on adaptation:
The Environment Agency alone cannot protect everyone from increasing flood and coastal risks: rising sea levels and extreme winter rainfall will mean it will not be technically, socially, and economically viable to protect every community. Instead, alongside constructing and maintaining defences, we must help communities learn to live with risk, minimise damage, and return to normal life quickly.
Climate change makes it harder to ensure clean and plentiful water: existing issues with water stress will be exacerbated by climate change bringing altered temperature and rainfall patterns. Measures to tackle these pressures are underway, but a strategic approach to water management and faster progress on improvements are needed.
Environmental regulation is not yet ready for a changing climate: climate change is increasing the impact of environmental incidents, for example lower river levels means pollutants diffuse slower and have a greater impact. It is vital that environmental policy and legislation keeps pace with the escalating challenge to allow us and other regulators to protect the environment.
Ecosystems cannot adapt as fast as the climate is changing: industrialisation and urbanisation have left the UK as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and climate change means wildlife in England will continue to be altered. We must recognise importance of natural ecosystems in supporting life (including our own) in our health and wellbeing. Nature must be the essential foundation of development, rather than being seen as an impediment.
There will be more and worse environmental incidents: both natural and man-made environmental incidents will be made worse by climate change. This will place an increased burden on emergency response, and divert resources from other activities.
The report highlights how the Environment Agency is working with government, businesses and communities to prepare for the impacts of climate change, including delivering a record £5.2 billion programme of new flood and coastal defences over the next six years.
While the risks are serious, they can be addressed by early action, and the report also sets out how the Environment Agency is meeting those challenges.
This includes:
Working with government, businesses and communities to implement the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Strategy and our vision to create a nation ready for and resilient to flooding and coastal change up to 2100.
Working with water companies and Ofwat on the National Framework for Water Resources, which sets out how we will address future challenges to water supply.
Helping to deliver the £10 million Natural Environment Readiness Fund, helping to support projects in attracting private sector finance into investment in the natural environment.
Focusing on nature based approaches, restoring and creating peatlands, wetland and other habitats to create climate-resilient habitats for wildlife, reduce flood risk, improve water quality and improve access to greenspace for people
Using our role as a regulator to help businesses understand and reduce their climate impact and prepare for the future.
Most comprehensive mapping of the UK’s food & drink carbon footprint ever shows pathway to 50% carbon reduction.
Equivalent to 35% of the UK’s total emissions arise from producing and eating the country’s food & drink, including emissions overseas for imported food.
Action on food systems by policymakers and the sector is fundamental to delivering the UK’s Net Zero ambitions and reducing our wider global footprint – food & drink is the hidden hero, says WRAP.
UK work on GHG emissions could be the blueprint for international action.
The most comprehensive analysis of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) linked to UK food & drink production and consumption ever undertaken shows the urgent need to slash the carbon footprint of food if we are to achieve the UK’s Net Zero ambitions.
It also shows the need to consider the full, global, footprint of the food & drink we consume, if we are to avoid reducing our own emissions at the expense of increasing emissions in other countries.
The report, UK Food System GHG Emissions, estimates that the UK food system was responsible for nearly 160 MtCO2e emissions in the UK and overseas in 2019 – equivalent to around 35% of UK territorial emissions*.
This landmark mapping was made possible by the development of a new Food System GHG model to pinpoint carbon hotspots across the food system and investigate the reductions possible through different types of action.
The ground-breaking work shows that a 50% reduction in food-related emissions by 2030 (in line with a 1.5oC trajectory) is possible, but only if we take urgent action.
The findings come at a key time as world leaders gather next month for the crucial COP26 meeting in Glasgow, to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Marcus Gover, WRAP CEO said, “Much attention will rightly be paid to energy generation and transport at COP26, but we ignore the food system at our peril.
“There is little talk about the contribution that strategies around food and drink can have to climate action, and it is vital we raise awareness and drive action among policymakers and businesses at COP26. That is why WRAP has set out the tangible reductions that can be made simply by focussing on food and drink as key part of climate action.
“A 50% reduction by 2030 is possible, but we need action as much as talk. And the benefits go far beyond the environment as a more sustainable food system is crucial to feed our expanding global population against a backdrop of changing climate and less predictable weather patterns. Policymakers must pay attention to the critical role food has in helping deliver Net Zero, and I intend to have those conversations at COP.”
The food system is a global network requiring a worldwide perspective. GHG emissions associated with overseas production of food & drink imported, sold and consumed in the UK are more than one third of the UK’s food and drink consumption footprint.
WRAP’s work details this connectivity to imported food and outlines the need for widescale action to prevent the positive actions by one nation inadvertently increasing emissions in another.
It highlighted the scale of GHG emissions reductions that could come from different types of interventions across the food system such as zero deforestation, decarbonising energy, decarbonising transport and preventing food waste. With five key actions for UK industry.
These actions will help meet environmental goals such as the UK’s Courtauld Commitment 2030 GHG target (50% absolute reduction in emissions associated with food and drink consumed by 2030 from 2015).
The Courtauld 2030 target is aligned to a 1.5oC pathway and has become a crucial milestone to meeting wider food sector targets for Net Zero by 2040, including those managed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Food & Drink Federation (FDF).
DR Liz Goodwin, OBE, said: “This report is a useful reminder of the scale of the challenge faced by countries aiming to achieve Net Zero targets and the important role that reducing food loss and waste can play.
“It comes after the UN Food Systems Summit which clearly highlighted the importance of tackling food loss and waste as part of moving to a more sustainable food system. The Champions 12.3 coalition continues to urge action by all players; governments, businesses and civil society, so that we continue to build momentum in reducing food loss and waste and deliver UN SDG 12.3”.
WRAP’s work allows for a full investigation of the implications of actions across the whole food system, to aid policy decisions and focus action by businesses.
The Food System GHG model has been designed to help quantify the scale of potential emissions reduction that could be achieved through a range of actions aligned to existing commitments, such as renewable energy targets, zero deforestation commitments and targets to halve food waste.
The model provides a robust means of monitoring the UK’s total food system emissions (including both domestic production and imports), which is an important metric highlighted in the National Food Strategy. Monitoring progress over time will ensure actions taken are having the right effect.
WRAP believes the model could be replicated in other countries.
As well as the most comprehensive mapping of GHG food emissions to date, WRAP’s report also highlights where food system emissions arose and details the changes between 2015-2019, during which time an 8% reduction was achieved by the UK. It builds on the National Food Strategy and recent Courtauld 2030 progress report, both of which highlighted the significance of the food system for both territorial emissions and our wider global footprint.
Crucially, the report highlights a pathway to achieving a 50% reduction in the GHG emissions linked to production and consumption of food and drink in the UK. This can be achieved mainly by ensuring that existing policy, business and sector-level commitments and targets are delivered.
Transport Minister launches campaign to help people plan ahead
Further measures aimed at helping people get ready for COP26 in Glasgow and keep transport networks moving were announced today with the launch of a public awareness campaign.
The campaign is being ‘championed’ by Glasgow’s Duke of Wellington statue and will feature across multi-channels from radio, TV and social media to billboards, newsletters and other relevant platforms.
Scotland’s Transport Minister, Graeme Dey, kick started the campaign which provides details of where to get the most up to date travel information and advice so that people can prepare and plan ahead for any journeys in the run up to and during the two-week climate change conference.
He said: “As a huge coup for Glasgow and, indeed, Scotland, COP26 is widely anticipated to be a once-in-a-lifetime global event and one like no other the city has hosted.
“The scale of the event is unprecedented on so many levels which is why it is vital that people are equipped with the latest information to help organise travel plans in advance and, where necessary, make alternative arrangements.
“The most up-to-date information including a detailed travel plan, maps, road closures and dates for community and business engagement sessions is readily available. I would again urge commuters, businesses and the public to take some time to familiarise themselves with the plans so that we can all work together to help deliver a successful event while keeping Glasgow and the Central Belt moving. I am especially grateful to businesses and the public for engaging with this campaign and playing their part in such a momentous event.”
Up to 140 World Leaders and 25,000 conference delegates are expected to attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP26 conference at Glasgow’s SEC. The event takes place from October 31to November 12. However, road closures will start to take effect from Saturday, October 23. Planned and unplanned protests are also inevitable.
Get Ready Glasgow is the go-to website for more detailed information and will be updated on an ongoing basis – www.getreadyglasgow.com
The website provides details on alternative routes, local road closure dates and where local access will be maintained. It also includes maps highlighting where and when impacts are most likely to help give the public, businesses, delegates and visitors a clearer idea of what to expect on certain days.
Today’s campaign launch follows many months of travel planning and preparations which are now entering an advanced and crucial phase. As well as providing information on how to plan ahead for COP26, details of a range of engagement sessions being held over the coming weeks will be advertised for businesses and communities to attend.
The Transport Minister was joined by representatives of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and First Bus which is providing a fleet of electric buses for conference delegates.
SPT Chair of Operations Committee Councillor, David Wilson, said: “SPT is, once again, proud to play its part assisting with the transport organisation across Glasgow while the city hosts yet another major international event. While some disruption to travel is inevitable with an event of this scale, planning ahead is essential.
“We are working to ensure both local people and our international visitors can move around the city. Working with First Bus Scotland to deliver the official COP26 Zero Emission shuttle service on behalf of the UK and Scottish Governments ensures delegates will get to the event by sustainable public transport and we hope deliver a Glasgow climate agreement we can all be proud of.”
Duncan Cameron, Interim Managing Director for First Bus Scotland: said: “First Bus Scotland is delighted to have been chosen to operate the official COP26 shuttle service and will be working closely with SPT, Transport Scotland and the Cabinet Office to ensure a smooth and efficient service can be delivered for all delegates attending the event.
“It has been a long time in the planning, and it is exciting to now be in the build up to the event officially. It is vitally important that everyone takes the time to familiarise themselves with all diversions and transport plans in order to keep Glasgow moving and deliver an event that the whole world will be proud to be a part of.”
Get Ready Glasgow is being managed by Glasgow City Council on behalf of COP26 event delivery partners. Used successfully during the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2018 European Championships, the campaign aims to inform and update businesses, residents, commuters and visitors about the impact of the event on the city and the work being done to keep the Glasgow moving and open for business in the lead up to and during the conference.
Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Susan Aitken, said: “Glasgow has an unrivalled record when it comes to hosting major international events. The expertise that we have developed with our partners, taken with the city’s extensive conference and hotel infrastructure, made Glasgow the logical choice for COP26.
“This global summit is one of the biggest diplomatic events that the UK has seen. It is no exaggeration to say that it is also one of the most important in human history if we are to get runaway climate change under control.
“With more than 140 world leaders expected to attend, security will be tight and the arrangements will affect local businesses and residents as well as those who do business in the city, travel for work or are visiting.
“The key to lessening that disruption is to inform people well in advance about where there are planned road closures and likely congestion and what the alternative routes are. We’re also encouraging people to leave the car at home and use public transport for their journeys or walk or cycle instead.”
George Monbiot, author and environmentalist, is to appear at the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics with the climate emergency dominating this year’s event.
Running from Wednesday 20th to Sunday 24th of October, every event at the Festival is free to attend. The Festival will take place virtually and you can book your ticket now.
As COP26 takes place in Glasgow in early November and the climate emergency is at the top of every nation’s agenda; it has never been more important for the Festival to bring together global thinkers, writers, academics, and experts to inform, inspire and empower people with the knowledge to make a difference.
The programme, in partnership with Scotland’s Future’s Forum, takes inspiration from the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, exploring the synergy between them, including climate action; sustainable cities; poverty and inequalities.
Speaking as the Festival was launched, the Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone MSP, said:“The climate emergency, poverty, inequality and a global pandemic have created an unprecedented set of challenges for our society.
“It is the job of this Parliament to provide a platform to debate some of the most pertinent issues for our country and globally, and I am delighted to announce this programme today, which does just that.
“This year’s Festival is packed with brilliant panellists and thought-provoking events, and I feel certain festivalgoers will leave better informed, challenged and inspired. I have no doubt that these thought-provoking discussions will promote the understanding that is key to change.”
Events include:
Is the North to blame for the climate crisis? Asking should the North pay reparations to the climate vulnerable countries for decades of the developed world’s over-consumption? In partnership with the Royal Scottish Geographical Society;
Greenwashing – can planet and profit work together? which will cover how consumers can see through the practice of Greenwashing;
Fast Fashion in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, which will debate how fashion is one of the world’s largest polluters and why it’s time to make radical changes in our clothing manufacturing and buying habits;
Violence against women in partnership with Scottish Women’s Aid, looking at why the responsibility for dealing with this public health issue is still seemingly up to women; and
Black history month – political representation in partnership with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, which will debate progress in relation to the election of 6 ethnic minority MSPs, in a political world that needs to be representative of a Scotland with a 4% ethnic minority population.
Police Scotland is launching a six week campaign to highlight the work of Project Servator – a tactic designed to disrupt a range of criminal activity, including terrorism, while providing a reassuring presence for the public.
Project Servator deployments will form an important part of the policing operation for COP26 and Police Scotland has been working with Glasgow City Council, British Transport Police (BTP) and the business community to build a network of vigilance and encourage the reporting of suspicious or unusual activity.
The highly visible and unpredictable deployments are carried out regularly across the country by police officers specially trained to identify individuals who may be planning or preparing to commit a crime.
These officers are supported by a range of specialist resources including police dogs, horses, armed officers, CCTV operators and security staff, and can use Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology.
Key to the success of Project Servator is the support of the public to be extra eyes and ears for the police, reporting anything that doesn’t seem right, to help make it even harder for criminals to succeed. A six week advertising campaign will remind people of the important part they can play.
Superintendent Pat O’Callaghan, Lead Planner for COP26, said: “COP26 is one of the largest policing operations the UK has seen and we plan to utilise all resources at our disposal to support the delivery of a safe and secure event.
“Project Servator has proven to be an effective tactic in helping to disrupt criminal activity and keep people safe and has been deployed successfully at major events in the past such as the Commonwealth Games and Edinburgh Festivals.
“Support from businesses, partners and members of the public is vital to its success which is why we are working with communities, British Transport Police and local authorities and councils across the country, including the host city of Glasgow. We can all play a part and I would encourage you to get involved.
“If there’s a Project Servator deployment taking place in your area, speak to our officers who will be happy to provide information and reassurance. Together, we’ll help keep COP26 and Scotland safe. Remember if you see something suspicious, or if something doesn’t feel right, let us know immediately. You can do this by speaking to a police officer or calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
Superintendent Dave Marshall, British Transport Police said: “We’ve been using Project Servator across the railway network for nearly six years now and seen first-hand the effectiveness of this tactic in deterring crime and terrorism, particularly when it comes to policing significant events.
“Project Servator will form a vital part of our policing operation for COP26, as we work closely with Police Scotland and our railway partners to ensure the safety and security of the travelling public.
“Passengers can expect to see specialist resources such as search dogs and armed police on patrol as part of these Project Servator deployments, but we need your help too. Please remember to keep an eye out for anything that doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and report it to us using our discreet text number 61016 or 999 in an emergency.”
Denise Hamilton, head of COP26 team, Glasgow City Council, said: “We know that support from our businesses and citizens is crucial in helping us host a safe and successful summit.
“Glasgow will be busy and people can play their part by remaining vigilant while moving around the city during COP26 and reporting anything that doesn’t seem or feel right. Our COP26 volunteers who will be based at various transport hubs, hotels and venues around the city will also be keeping an eye out for suspicious activity.”
Around 10,000 officers will be deployed each day during the COP26 climate conference for what will be one of the largest policing operations undertaken in the UK.
Edinburgh libraries’ successful environmentally themed creative writing competition, open to all P4 – P7 aged children in Edinburgh and, once again, to young people in S1-3 runs until 15 October 2021.
There has been a lot of attention recently regarding climate change and its effects on the natural environment. In November 2021 the Unite Nations will host COP26 in Glasgow.
We challenge you to think, if you were an animal, a bird, a tree, a plant or even a mountain or river in Scotland, what would be your story about climate change.
Or perhaps …
You wish to tell us what experiences you are going through, if we don’t tackle climate change, what does the future look like in 2030.
Entries could be poetry, prose or story, all we asked was that the writing is the author’s own work and was no longer than one side of A4 paper.
Faith leaders unite in commitment to address the challenge of the climate crisis
Fifty-two UK faith leaders have signed a joint declaration ahead of the COP26 UN climate summit in Glasgow this November. It expresses the commitment of faith communities to address the climate crisis and their desire to see governments be equally committed.
The declaration builds on the Lambeth Declaration which preceded the Paris COP in 2015, and the Scottish Religious Leaders Forum Statement of Commitment for COP26 that was launched at the Ambition Summit in December 2020.
The leaders commit to reflect through prayer, meditation and worship; make transformational change in their communities; and be advocates for justice by calling on those in power to implement green policies.
They say: “Across our doctrinal and political differences, we know that we must change our ways to ensure a quality of life which all can share, and we need to provide hope for people of all ages, everywhere, including future generations.
“To offer hope in the world we need to have confidence that those in power understand the vital role they have to play at the Glasgow COP26.
“Our collective energy and prayers will be with those working for a successful outcome”.
Our faith communities are united in caring for human life and the natural world. We share a belief in a hopeful future, as well as an obligation to be responsible in caring for our common home, the Earth.
We recognise the opportunities that COP26 brings in addressing the urgent need for action in limiting the effects of climate change and the critical importance of decisions made in this conference to take forward the agreement made in Paris in 2015.
People have exploited the planet, causing climate change. We recognise that the burden of loss and damage falls most heavily on people living in poverty, especially women and children.
We acknowledge the commitments made through the Lambeth Declaration in 2015. Now, because of the gravity of our situation, the impact of climate change around the world, and the inequality of its effects we seek to strengthen those commitments.
We commit to respond to this challenge by:
Reflecting deeply in prayer, meditation and worship to discern how to care for the earth and each other, and to encourage our respective communities to do the same.
Making transformational change in our own lives and in the lives of our communities through individual and collective action.
Being advocates for justice by calling on governments, businesses and others who exercise power and influence to put into effect the Paris agreement; to make the transition to a just and green economy a priority; and to commit to science-based targets that are aligned with a healthy, resilient, zero-emissions future.
We remind governments of their commitments made in Paris in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, and of Article 17 of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights to protect the environment, the biosphere and biodiversity. We call upon them to take the urgent action needed to avert the loss, damage, and forced migration threatened by climate change.
We look to governments to work together and with others to create a positive vision for 2050 where addressing climate change is not just an opportunity to stop burning fossil fuels, but also: to achieve cleaner air and water; to reduce food wastage; to ensure a just and equitable sharing of the earth’s resources; and to protect the habitats we share with all other life on whose health we also depend.
Across our doctrinal and political differences, we know that we must change our ways to ensure a quality of life which all can share, and we need to provide hope for people of all ages, everywhere, including future generations. To offer hope in the world we need to have confidence that those in power understand the vital role they have to play at the Glasgow COP26.
Our collective energy and prayers will be with those working for a successful outcome.
Signed by:
UKSenior Faith Leaders
Archbishop Angaelos, Archbishop of London, The Coptic Orthodox Church
The Rt Revd John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, and lead Bishop for the Environment, Catholic Church in England and Wales
Imam Qari Muhammad Asim, Chair, Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board
Malcolm M Deboo, President, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (Inc)
Revd Clare Downing and Mr Peter Pay, Moderators of General Assembly, United Reformed Church
Rabbi Joseph Dweck, Senior Rabbi, S&P Sephardi Community, UK
Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain
Rev Sonia Hicks, President of the Methodist Church and Barbara Easton, Vice-President of the Methodist Church
Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Former Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism
Rt Rev Andy John, Bishop of Bangor and Senior Bishop in the Church in Wales
Rabbi David Mason, representing Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra (Imam), Christian – Muslim Forum
Mr. Patrick O’Mara, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United Kingdom
Mrs Trupti Patel, President of the Hindu Forum of Britain
Juliet Prager, Deputy Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain
Imam Sayed Razawi, Chief Imam, Director General of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society
Rabbi Danny Rich, former Senior Rabbi and Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism in the United Kingdom
The Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala, Head Priest of the London Buddhist Vihara
Dr Natubhai Shah, Senior leader, Jain Community UK
The Rt. Hon Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon, Director Network of Sikh Organisations (UK)
Jasvir Singh OBE, Chair of City Sikhs
Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia OBE KSG, Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha
Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich and lead Bishop on the Environment, Church of England
Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, Senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism UK
Scottish Religious Leaders & Representatives
The Rt Hon Lord Jim Wallace of Tankerness,
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Elizabeth Allen, Clerk, General Meeting for Scotland, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Imam Sohail Ashfaque, Blackhall Mosque
Lt-Col Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
Revd David Coleman, Minister of the United Reformed Church and Chaplain to Eco-Congregation Scotland
Allan Forsyth and Isadora Quay, on behalf of the Baha’i Community of Scotland
Rev Bonnie Evans Hills, convener Scottish Episcopal Church Interfaith Relations Committee
Madhu Jain, Hindu Mandir Scotland
Revd Dr Martin Johnstone, Glasgow Churches Together COP26 Ambassador
Ani Lhamo, Kagyu Samye Ling Buddhist Centre
Bishop Brian McGee, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious dialogue
Rev Dr David Miller, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
Acharya Ji Mishra, Priest of Hindu Mandir Scotland
Ravinder Kaur Nijjar, Advisor Sikhs in Scotland
Imam Hassan Rabbani, Imam of Zia-Ul-Quran Mosque, Chair of Scottish Muslim Forum
Lama Yeshe Choje Losal Rinpoche
Abbot of Kagyu Samye Ling Buddhist Centre
Rabbi David Rose, Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation
Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, Senior Rabbi of Scotland
Shaykh Sohaib Saeed, Al-Furqan Mosque
The Revd Mark Slaney
Chair Methodist Church Scotland
Sr. Isabel Smyth
Sisters of Notre Dame & Secretary to the Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Inter-religious Dialogue
Most Rev Mark Strange
Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Linsay Taylor, Muslim Council of Scotland and Chair of Interfaith Scotland
Dr Srihari Vallabhajousula, Honorary Priest, Hindu Temple of Scotland, Rutherglen, Glasgow
Ameed Versace, Climate Officer, Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society
Revd Paul Whittle, Moderator of The United Reformed Church National Synod of Scotland
Rev. George Whyte, Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
