Walk2COP26

Not a new police TVseries, but a serious physical challenge. For both our planet and these guys:

6 walkers are going to make the 500 mile journey from London to Glasgow, on foot, in the run-up to COP26 in November. This group is going to be raising awareness of local climate action all along the route, and beyond that, highlighting the amazing stories of the community groups, companies and councils that are working together to tackle carbon emissions.

Focused on education, information and climate action at the local level, the team will set off from London on 7 October, intending to reach Glasgow in time for the start of the global climate summit COP26 on 1 November.

The 500 mile route, planned with help from Slow Ways CIC, will highlight the power and potential of local climate action at COP26 and beyond. On their 26-day journey, they will have 500 conversations about climate, run eight inclusive events and showcase 200 high-impact, low-carbon initiatives from around the UK.

Their goal is to engage audiences beyond the environmental bubble and to inspire more action, both individually and together. By involving businesses, local government and community groups from start to finish, they will show how powerful it is when we take cross-cutting action aimed at carbon zero where we live.

The idea for this ambitious walk came from Sam Baker, an advisor to companies on climate change, purpose and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) for many years.

Sam Baker, team leader, said:

“We all need to engage on climate change outside of our normal social and professional circles. It’s a systemic issue and we need to push ourselves to understand different points of view, different challenges and work together to overcome them.

“I hope that we can do something to draw attention to the great work that has been done at multiple levels – for example, by local community groups, the UK Climate Assembly, the Climate Change Commission and indeed the UNFCCC itself – and make those connections more obvious and stronger.”

Each of the locations for the eight cross-cutting events planned along the route, such as Morecambe in Lancashire, will be chosen for its local involvement and wider leadership in the UK’s transition to carbon zero.

People are invited to support this walk, by (a) pledging an action and by (b) sharing their stories. (a)Walk2COP26 is partnering with Count Us In, so that the steps people pledge to reduce their carbon footprint will be counted in a global total at COP26. (b)Walk2COP26 is also encouraging people to share the work they are already doing collectively to address climate change locally, in partnership with Carbon Copy.

Carbon Copy will play a key role by making its publishing platform available so people can submit their initiatives directly, for others to discover and copy. Ric Casale, team walker representing Carbon Copy, said:

“Using COP26 as a moment in time, and the walk as a mechanism, Carbon Copy would like to shine a bright light on climate action locally in the UK and to celebrate the inspiring low-carbon initiatives that councils, community groups and local businesses are already working on.

“The global climate summit is an opportunity to refocus policy makers’ and people’s minds on the climate crisis. But it’s not up to the COP26 delegates alone to come up with the answers; it’s up to all of us. In looking forward to Glasgow, let’s look to where we live as the real stage for turning things around.”

Hung Nguyen, team walker and lecturer at Goldsmiths (University of London), said:

“It’s true that we need governments and corporations to take urgent actions but equally we need people and employees to be fully aware of the effects of climate change, and to put pressure on our governments and corporations to do a lot more. There are lot of unsung heroes in the fight against climate change and they deserve to be in the spotlight.”

The UK is entering a more devolved and democratic phase of decarbonisation, as further reductions in emissions can only be achieved by changing our previously normal way of life. By walking through many of the places leading the way in the UK’s transition to carbon zero, and by talking with people who are taking climate action locally, Walk2COP26 will focus on tangible progress on the ground as much as on the climate change policies needed to support them.

PETs carbon diVision supports COP26 and this initiative and would really appreciate your support with (i) promoting this amazing and educational challenge and (ii) tackling your own carbon emissions!

Carbon Copy: https://carboncopy.eco

Walk2COP26: https://walk2cop26.com

You can calculate your current annual CO2e emissions here: PETs carbon calculator. You can use it as well to offset/neutralise them by buying into official, worldwide oxygen producing/carbon sequestering projects. Do this today and you’re answering both this walk’s and COP26’s purpose.

Thank you, on behalf of the planet, (y)our community and nextgen! We’ll keep you posted.