Climate change rally set to send leaders message
CLIMATE change campaigners in Swansea will send a message to world leaders next month with a rally at the city’s Castle Square.
The action will take place on Saturday, November 6, at noon.
It will coincide with the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, which starts on October 31 and runs until November 12.
Swansea has formed its own branch of the COP26 Coalition – a Uk-based civil society coalition of groups and individuals mobilising around climate justice during the two-week conference which will be attended by leaders and representatives of 197 countries.
The Swansea group has brought together environmental campaigners from Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion, together with Unite Community and Unison unions and supported by Stand Up to Racism and faith groups in the city.
Organisers of upcoming Swansea rally said it will be a chance for people to send a message to those at the conference.
They said those attending the Swansea rally can expect a colourful celebration with theatrics, stalls, fun and games and a peaceful and safe march for all ages.
Three women recently helped publicise the event by doing huge writing in the sand at Rhossili Bay with the words ‘One Million Climate Jobs Now’ calling for a Just Transition solution to the climate emergency.
Just Transition is a framework developed by the trade union movement to encompass a range of social interventions needed to secure workers’ rights and livelihoods when economies are shifting to sustainable production, primarily combating climate change and protecting biodiversity.
Heather Booker, one of the beach sand writers, said: “Heads of businesses are often only interested in jobs which make them a profit so we must force them into funding a Just Transition where jobs are funded which also save the planet.
“There can be new jobs like making glass instead of plastic, making and using buses and magnet-trains like they have in Japan, turbines and de-salination centres instead of bombs and of course making renewable energy like wind and solar a reality.
“There can be fully staffed and frequent public transport subsidised and even free.
“Teams of paid people could clean up the rivers and seas not just volunteers.
“Oil workers can be redeployed in renewable energy work and every home can have insulation installed; all by well paid workers in decent jobs.”
She added: “If we are going to stop this catastrophe – and that is a big if – we will need more jobs not fewer.
“If those in charge won’t do the right thing to fund a Just Transition we need to bring in others that will for the sake of our children’s future.”