The COP26 negotiations have unsurprisingly failed to deliver the solutions that we urgently need. The conference has been a parade of inaction, false solutions and greenwash from rich governments and corporations, all while claiming the summit a success. Whilst governments failed to act, COP26 was a historic moment of growth in power and solidarity for the climate justice movement. Because of our collective action, the climate justice movement is more powerful, educated and connected than ever before.

Global Day of Action for Climate Justice

Through our collective work over the last two years, hundreds of thousands of people across the world mobilised under a call for climate justice demanding urgent and just solutions to the climate crisis, refusing to be complacent to the lies and business-as-usual of governments and corporations.

806 actions for climate justice took place across the world, with 100 actions taking place in the UK and 150,000 people taking to the streets in Glasgow alone.
 
Many cities in the UK organised one of their biggest climate demos ever, such as in Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Cardiff, Bristol, Leeds, Belfast, Norfolk, Brighton and Cambridge. 

People’s Summit for Climate Justice and Movement Assemblies

15,000 people attended both the in-person and digital People’s Summit for Climate Justice. Over 200 sessions were held, which included interpretation into 11 languages.

Over the two weeks of the negotiations, daily Movement Assemblies were held in Glasgow, and livestreamed to the world. These served as points to gather around key topics, including on climate justice, economic justice, work, feminism, climate reparations and decolonisation, indigenous movements, access and disability and youth organising.

Global Organising

The above was only made possible because of months of organising, mobilising and connecting by activists across the world. The Coalition has convened International, Regional and Local Assemblies. In the UK, a network of 51 local hubs came together consisting of trade unions, anti-racism and migrant justice groups, faith groups, youth organisers, climate and environment groups, campaigns and activists.

Coverage

In collaboration with Brazilian media collective Midia Ninja, and dozens of movement photographers and videographers, we provided decentralised coverage of movement activities happening across COP26. See some of these photos on our Instagram. 
 
We also produced Inside Outside – daily video brief hosted by Sabrina Fernandes and Iain Bruce throughout the COP26. The show provided a compact and accessible insight of activities inside the official event and outside among the social movements. Rewatch Inside Outside episodes here.
 
We took the airways with our climate justice analysis of the negotiations and were featured in every major global and UK media outlet holding both the UK Presidency and other rich countries to account for their lack of action.

Social Justice

To support activists and civil society to come to Glasgow, the Human Hotel was created in partnership with Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, where over 1,260 local people hosted 1696 people from around 127 countries around the world.To counter the exclusion of Global South communities due to restrictive border policies and increasingly changeable COVID legislation, the COP26 Coalition provided visa, immigration and travel support, which included both financial support and information on the navigating immigration system. Making sure that the voices and demands of the global South were heard inside the talks, on the streets and within our movement, working together to build the future.
 
Our friends at the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities – representing indigenous peoples and local communities in 24 countries around the world sent this message to all COP26 coalition members:
 
“The important impact that we have achieved in Glasgow would not have been possible without your invaluable support that allowed us to make our voices more visible and forge links with civil society.
On behalf of our children, youth, women & elders, who are in the communities, and in the rivers and mountains of our territories, I want to personally thank you for your support, and to assure you that we will continue to carry forward this struggle, which belongs to all of us, to heal this planet” Tuntiak Katan, General Coordinator GATC