COP26: Climate change activists slam world leaders for ‘blowing just hot air’

Climate change activists posed as world leaders in traditional Scottish bagpipe attire on Monday as world leaders assembled in Glasgow for the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Oxfam campaigners wore kilts and urged world leaders to come up with concrete action to tackle the climate crisis by reducing emissions. The world has had enough of “hot air and empty promises,” Oxfam Climate Policy Lead Nafkote Dabi said.

“We need climate finance, poor countries need climate finance, vulnerable communities need climate finance, and they need to be serious about this, to support vulnerable countries, to adapt to the worst impact of the climate crisis.”

COP26: What to expect from the climate summit

At the ceremonial opening of the two-week long COP26 summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned world leaders that “we digging our own graves.”

Despite recent announcements by governments to curb climate change, Guterres said “we are still heading for climate disaster.”

Guterres said major economic powers, including China, should go the “the extra mile” because of their contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions.

COP26: Pope Francis hopes for ‘cry of the Earth’ to be heard

He also announced the creation of a new group of experts to propose “clear standards” for measuring commitments from businesses and other non-state actors over emissions targets.

Around 120 world leaders and thousands of delegates are attending the COP26 summit that will run through November 13.

US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among leaders who will speak at the conference aimed at containing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

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A report published by the UN in August, called a “code red for humanity,” showed that the world is warming faster than scientists previously thought. 

The COP26 conference comes as extreme weather disasters wreaked havoc in the US, Europe, and China.

(With inputs from Associated Press)