COP26: The story from Glasgow in 15 pictures

Because the official enterprise of the UN local weather summit came about behind closed doorways, a few of the most eye-catching demonstrations, passionate speeches and strange tales unfolded on the streets of Glasgow.

It isn’t typically you may see an 18-year-old surrounded by police and clamouring journalists in Glasgow Central station – however Greta Thunberg is not any common teenager.

Throughout her time within the metropolis, folks flocked to venues and demonstrations the place she was rumoured to seem, hoping to catch a glimpse or a fast phrase on digital camera.

After the primary day of summit discussions, as world leaders loved a glamorous VIP dinner in Kelvingrove Artwork Gallery and Museum, she addressed a crowd in Govan’s Pageant Park, saying politicians have been “pretending to take our future seriously”.

Reiterating her feedback on the Youth4Climate convention in Milan in September, she mentioned: “We’re bored with [leaders’] blah, blah, blah”.

She later joined 1000’s of younger folks on the Fridays for Future march and gave a speech in George Square, branding the summit a “failure” and a “international north greenwash pageant”.

Residents in Glasgow have been informed to anticipate disruption to their every day lives all through the summit, together with by highway closures.

Among the many first to make headlines was the arrival of the Rainbow Warrior – Greenpeace’s well-known ship – which resulted within the momentary closure of the Erskine Bridge whereas the vessel sailed beneath.

It was transporting 4 younger local weather activists from areas affected by local weather change and had hoped to dock reverse the convention venue – however as an alternative stopped a few miles up river on the King George V dock.

Early final week, bystanders on Victoria Highway could have been lucky sufficient to see Taranteeno the Marvellous clopping by.

The 15-year-old cob was with homeowners Michael Ransley and his accomplice Dr Phoebe Beedell, who set off from Cornwall for COP26 within the spring of 2019.

They’d initially set off for Glasgow greater than two years in the past however delayed their arrival till the summit had been rescheduled.

The activists aimed to lift consciousness of the local weather disaster all through the host metropolis, and have been saddened to see the variety of automobiles on the roads.

Vanessa Nakate is among the finest identified of the brand new technology of campaigners towards international warming – and was Uganda’s first Fridays for Future activist.

The 24-year-old left her mark at each mass protests over the weekend, utilizing impassioned speeches to lift consciousness of the plight of the worldwide south.

And if Ms Thunberg was the sovereign of soundbites, Ms Nakate held audiences rapt with first-hand experiences of communities devastated by local weather disasters.

As one of many key speakers at the Global Day of Action rally on Glasgow Green, she informed crowds how in a single day storms severely broken a faculty which she and fellow campaigners helped to construct in her residence nation.

“The sturdy winds and heavy rainfall won’t cease, as a result of the phrases and guarantees of leaders don’t match their actions,” she mentioned.

Individuals of all ages joined schoolchildren as they marched from Kelvingrove Park to George Sq. on 5 November – among the many youngest was 11-month-old Juneau.

She and her mom, April Hamilton, had travelled from Paisley as a result of it was “too necessary” to not be part of the rally.

Ms Hamilton, a instructor, spoke extremely of Greta Thunberg, whom she mentioned was an unimaginable position mannequin for her daughter.

Shortly earlier than 100,000 folks have been as a result of stroll by town centre on 6 November, a gaggle of scientists chained themselves to the King George V Bridge.

The group from Scientist Rise up mentioned they might not “depend on our leaders to avoid wasting us anymore” and had a “ethical obligation to behave”.

Specialist police groups used bolt cutters to take away the 21 activists. who have been then arrested and launched on an enterprise.

Regardless of pouring rain on Saturday, spirits have been removed from dampened – partly because of the vibrant costumes and indigenous gown on show.

Some teams didn’t have illustration throughout official convention proceedings, however however had eyes upon them at one of many largest protests in Glasgow’s dwelling reminiscence.

Organisers mentioned about 100,000 marched by town for the rally at Glasgow Inexperienced.

In the meantime police praised the “good natured” activists who have been in “high spirits” throughout the day.

This mural in Partick is the work of Daniel Rupaszov – a 25-year-old from Hungary who belongs to a gaggle of artists and activists who go to COP yearly to create artwork which highlights the local weather disaster.

He’s certainly one of many activists who’ve expressed their views by art work, from a “carbon unicorn” made by Friends of the Earth to a big knitted display by Stiches for Survival.

Courageous Bakers on Saltmarket was one of many few companies within the space that opted to remain open the day 100,000 protesters walked by on their method to Glasgow Inexperienced.

Arouge Salin had labored on the espresso store for about two months when the employees of three have been inundated with drenched prospects vying for warm espresso and vegan pastries.

She informed the BBC: “It began off quiet, however we had a queue exterior the store till the stroll handed – it was continuous from 15:30 till 18:00, and we usually shut at 17:30.

“We bought out of all the pieces vegan – which by no means occurs. The one factor we had left was our rooster and bacon bake which is normally the very first thing to go.

“And we bought so many coffees that our machine jammed. I feel folks simply wished one thing heat.”

Within the absence of costumes or conspicuous floats, younger folks used their imaginations to daub eye-catching slogans on protest indicators for the youth march.

Activists made positive their messages have been heard in their very own voice – whether or not it was with a little bit of humour or a Scottish accent.