Climate activists to gather across the UK as part of the COP28 Global Day of Action

Climate activists will gather across the UK as part of a COP28 Global Day of Action on 9 December to demand robust and urgent action to reduce emissions, protect nature and hold polluters to account. 

The Global Day of Action falls on the last Saturday of COP28, which has courted controversy this year over “greenwashing” oil after the United Arab Emirates was announced as the host. Data published this week found that Adnoc, the oil company at which the President of COP28 sits as CEO, is planning the largest expansion of oil and gas production of any company in the world. 

Activists and environmental groups have accused the UK government of u-turning on their climate commitments following an announcement by Rishi Sunak in September that the UK would be backing out on key climate policies, including the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

A large action has been planned outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh as part of the Global Day of Action, with food organisations and activists encouraged to join to raise awareness of the urgent need to act on emissions from food, farming and land use. According to Stop Climate Chaos Scotland:

In 2021 over 100,000 people took to the streets of Glasgow to tell world leaders at the COP26 climate talks they wanted action on the climate and nature emergencies.

Since then, despite record breaking temperatures and increasingly devastating climate impacts, we have seen a lack of robust and urgent action to reduce emissions, protect nature, or make the biggest polluters pay for the damage they are causing.

At a time when the UK Government is rolling back on climate and nature policies, and the Scottish Government has delayed its vital new climate plan (which sets out the steps to achieve legally set targets), it’s more important than ever for us to come together to show people in Scotland want the urgent and fair climate action that they’ve been demanding for decades.

Ruth Westcott, Campaign Coordinator for Climate Change and Nature at Sustain, said:

Even if we stopped emissions from fossil fuels right now, the impact of food production alone would take us well beyond the carbon budget for 1.5°C, and leave little room to reach the 2°C target. The UK government has no credible plan to reduce emissions from the food system, and we need action now. We are delighted to join the call for food to be at the heart of climate change mitigation, and urge others to join this action.

Events will be held around the UK including Edinburgh, London, Cardiff, Newcastle and Portsmouth. To find out if there’s an action planned in your area, please click here.