I can suddenly see a dog in the crowd of people, signs, and flags. He seeks my attention and I bend down to read the sign he has around his neck. It says, “no more woof woof”. He is referring to what Greta Thunberg said earlier the same week at COP26, “no more blah blah blah”.
It was said that potentially 100.000 climate activists would march in Glasgow on Saturday the 6 of November, the day called Global Action Day. Me and my friends have successfully booked seats on one of the coaches that would take activists from Edinburgh to Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow, where the people shall assemble. On the bus we were all well-prepared for the weather, forecasted to be shifting and unfortunately a lot of rain was promised. However, this was nothing of concern for the mix of people on the bus, who all had brought raincoats and umbrellas together with their signs, drums, and megaphones.
When we arrived, there were already thousands of people starting to organise themselves. “We will be marching in blocs”, we were told. First indigenous people and then approximately 12 other blocs, such as the biodiversity bloc and the one about climate justice.
The air is vibrating, and people are singing, playing music, and shouting! I had personally prepared myself for more tension between the police in yellow vests and the activists and as a result dangerous situations. Still, that was not at all the feeling I got once I started the march. Instead, I felt joy mixed with hope and despair. Children were sitting on their parents’ shoulders, laughing when they saw people with costumes and people dancing to the music. As we walked, journalists took pictures of all the creative signs, where jokes and irony were combined.
We are walking through the streets of Glasgow, close to where the climate conference is taking place and where politicians, leaders and experts are trying to agree on what we must do to enable a sustainable future. During the first week of COP26 more than 100 leaders agreed to reverse deforestation by 2030 and in terms of national carbon pledges, India pledge to achieve net zero emissions status by 2070.
We know that we must do more if we are going to achieve net zero emissions before 2050 and halt the global temperature rise to not more than 1,5 degrees. I can not help myself to start thinking, when I am in the middle of the march surrounded by people asking for more climate actions, what will I say to future generations if we fail to save the planet? Will I proudly tell them that thousands of people marched in rain and cold shouting out their appeal of climate justice? Will I tell them how the leaders tried to do something, but they did not make it in time?
All my thoughts give me a feeling of abandonment….. but right then the crowd starts to rejoice! Suddenly the rain stops for a while and the sun shines upon us as a rainbow appears in front of us.
Yet there is hope, yet we have the chance to do what is right! I raise my sign even higher and join the crowd in their shouts for justice!
Frida Hansson
Glasgow, 6th of November 2021
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