Skip to Main Content

COP26 RESOURCE HUB: HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.

COP26 takes place from Sunday 31st October to Friday 12th November in Glasgow. This marks the 26th ‘Conference of Parties’, where world leaders come together to reach agreement on how best to tackle climate change. As we know, the past 26 years have seen climate change go from being seen as something of a fringe issue, to a burning global priority.

WHY IS THIS COP SO IMPORTANT?

If you’re feeling a little lost as to what exactly happens at COP, and why COP26 in particular is so incredibly important, Greenpeace have put together a handy introduction video which busts through the political jargon and anacronyms, in under three and a half minutes.

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

We may not be world leaders with a seat at the table, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all take action and make our voices heard… we’ve put together a resource hub below, packed with suggestions of how to use your power and lend your voice to climate action.

JOIN YOUR LOCAL CLIMATE MARCH, ON SATURDAY 6th NOVEMBER.

Marches are happening all across the country on Saturday 6th November to show the enormous public support for urgent climate action. You can help show world leaders that we mean business by joining one of these marches.

Glasgow will host the main march as thousands of people descend on the city to send a strong message to leaders. If you are planning on travelling to Glasgow and want to march with Greenpeace, please RSVP to the event.

If you can’t make it to Glasgow, there are marches happening in most major cities. Head here to find your closest climate march. 

‘SING THE CHANGE’ bY WRITing TO YOUR MP

There’s no music on a dead planet… which would be incredibly inconvenient for us, as a music festival. Music Declares Emergency are making some noise for COP26, by releasing this stunning rendition of ‘What a Wonderful World’. Share the video – and most importantly, head to their Sing The Change website, where they’ve made it incredibly quick and easy to write to your MP, to ask them for urgent action on climate change to keep us within 1.5°C.

TEACHERS & EDUCATORS – HELP YOUR STUDENTS FIND THEIR INNER CLIMATE LEADER

Looking for ideas for activities? There are so many fun and inspiring ways you can help your students find their inner Climate Leader, for example

  • Hosting ‘green school assemblies’ (download a Power Point presentation/speakers notes pack here)
  • Hold mini climate summits and workshops, or even plant a ‘virtual forest’ of promises using the WWF ‘Our Climate, Our Future’ pack, which includes classroom resources and activities around COP26, for ages 5-11+
  • Try holding your own Climate Negotiations in the Classroom. The Royal Meteorological Society has developed award winning resources to allow you to run a simulated climate negotiations event in 2 standard lessons. They are aimed at students aged 13+ with a basic understanding of greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Generation Earthshot invites students aged 10+ to generate big, bold ideas to repair our planet. There’s a free Teacher Toolkit for creative problem-solving that’s easy to follow and based around 5 “Earthshots”.  The Earthshot Prize is a new global prize for the environment, launched by Prince William and The Royal Foundation.

TAKE DIRECT ACTION WITH EXTINCTION REBELLION

If you’re already planning to go to Glasgow during COP26, XR are taking disruptive, decentralised actions. Read more about their plan here (and their rebel agreement here) and join XR Scotland Telegram channel here for live updates.

You don’t need to be in Glasgow to take action with Extinction Rebellion. XR COP Actions are inviting rebels everywhere around the world to take action in their local areas. Read how to get involved more on Mattermost here, and join the Global Actions Network Telegram channel for live updates.

IN GLASGOW? HEAD TO THESE AMAZING EVENTS FROM BLUE DOT x THE VEGAN SOCIETY

Our friends and fellow festival organisers at Blue Dot have teamed up with The Vegan Society to present three special events at COP26, from 4th – 6th November, featuring panels and in conversation talks, live music, DJ sets, comedy and spoken word.to raise awareness of The Vegan Society’s Plate Up For The Planet campaign. Read all about them and book your spot, here.

TAKE MATTERS INTO YOUR OWN HANDS WITH OUR 25kx25 CAMPAIGN

You Shambalans are already a brilliant and conscientious lot, but there’s always more we can do, and so here’s some easy and impactful actions to consider to get us going…

1. TOWARDS NET ZERO

We need to get to net zero emissions to avoid climate catastrophe. Over the past decade, we’ve reduced Shambala’s emissions footprint by around 90%. Here’s three things YOU can easily do to reduce yours:

2. REGENERATE

  • What we buy and consume shapes the world around usHere’s three ways to preserve and enhance the ecosystems that support us (and all life):
  • Be an ethical, healthy consumer by choosing non-toxic, ethical products. Learn how to use your spending power to change the world for the better, on the Ethical Consumer website.
  • Plant trees – Support the lungs of our planet and communities in crisis in Malawi through our longterm charity partner, TEMWA. Donating just £1 a month to Temwa will plant 10 trees a year, reducing flooding, protecting homes and helping our planet breathe. Sign up to give £1 a month here.
  • No excuse for single use – Pledge to reduce or go single use plastic free. Our Shambala bottles support RAW Foundation – freeing the world from pointless plastics! You can bag yours here.

3. HELP CHANGE INTERNATIONAL LAW TO PROTECT NATURE

Sign up to be a conscientious objector to Ecocide and help change international law to protect natureIt’s free, easy and takes seconds! Sign the petition here.

4. CREATE HAPPINESS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Together with wars and violence, which forced 9.8 million people to flee within their borders, extreme weather brought the number of new internal displacements in 2020 to 40.5 million people, according to the IDMC. Shambala favourites and purveyors of fun, The Flying Seagull Project, bring much needed fun and happiness to kids in European refugee camps. Support them, join them, or let them inspire you to bring happiness to your own communities.

5. STAY CONNECTED, BE HAPPY & CREATIVE

Unleash your creativity for purpose– talk about it, sing about it, write about it or organise your own event to inspire others!

GET CARBON LITERATE!

The intricacies of carbon emissions aren’t the easiest to wrap your head around – so thank heavens for The Carbon Literacy Project. This organisation offers a day’s worth of Carbon Literacy learning, covering climate change, carbon footprints, how you can do your bit, and why it’s relevant to you. Carbon Literacy (CL) is aimed at three distinct audiences – those that live, those that work and those that study. We’re booking the whole Shambala office team in.

 

Over & OUt, Sham HQ x