Open invitation to join climate rally
Stirling and Callander hosting awareness events
Climate change activists will be taking to the streets of Stirling on Friday - with any locals welcome to join them.
Concerned citizens and students will meet at 2pm in Port Street for a day of events.
A rally will feature various speakers, including students and campaigners, music and more.
Afterwards they will join the Stirling Criticial Mass event, which starts at Stirling railway station at 6pm.
Organisers say the whole event has been planned with Covid-19 safety in mind and it will be family friendly.
A spokepserson said: “Following the alarming IPCC report stating ‘code red for humanity’, we have decided that it was a moral imperative to partake in the global climate strike called by Fridays For Future.
“The intergovernmental panel on Climate change (IPCC) has reached global scientific consensus. Immediate action is required with deep cuts by 2030 and no further investment/ development of fossil fuels, and intensive meat and dairy production.
“Furthermore, we believe that in the lead up to the UN climate panel (COP26) it is vital for Scotland to shine a light on the environmental negligence that the political and corporate elite has been perpetrating.
“We want the end of the development of Cambo oil field, divestment from fossil fuels, divestment from the industrial meat and dairy industry and the equitable distribution of vaccines globally.”
One concerned local said that, with the IPCC report stating there’s just under 12 years to limit a climate change catastrophe, immediate and deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions are needed.
Lewis Forsyth added: “Our Prime Minister’s response sounded meaningful and encouraging saying ‘We know what must be done to limit global warming – consign coal to history and shift to clean energy sources, protect nature and provide climate finance for countries on the frontline’. This is, however, very inconsistent with reality. In direct contradiction, the government is letting Shell and Siccar point go ahead with new exploratory drilling in Cambo oil field, a project which is expected to extract over 150 million barrels of oil and run until 2050.
“It is often said that if everyone does their little bit, that it will all be okay, however what is really needed is widespread systemic changes to the way our society functions.”
Another local, Carla Poulaert, added: “Scientific evidence continues to confirm that human activities are contributing to the warming of our planet.
“At a citizen scale, many of us are already taking action to fight global warming, such as adopting a meat-free diet or swapping to renewable energies. Yet, this is not enough. We need governments to partake in the fight and to finally take climate change seriously.”
The Stirling event is one of many being held in communities across Stirling and Scotland over the coming days.
Climate Fringe Week is running from September 1826 and, with the UN climate summit COP26 coming to Glasgow this November, events and activities are expected to help build momentum and call for a greener, fairer, low carbon society and world.
Over 150 events are scheduled to take place, both online and in person ‒ from Arran to Aberdeen, and North Uist to Irvine - including exhibitions, bike rides, wild meadow planting, litter picks, book launches, film screenings, and climate cafés.
Locally, Callander Climate Fringe Week will bring over 30 different events and activities to the town of Callander, including a mushroom foraging walk, a repair cafe, and a climate career fair at McLaren High School.
Organiser Carol McGowan said: “Being part of Climate Fringe Week is so exciting, as it will allow us to celebrate what we are already doing, as well as to share knowledge and learn from others.
“There are many ways we can already see how our changing climate affects the environment around Callander: our river floods, our forests are in danger of catching fire and our peat bogs need careful management.
“We hope that our events will help spread the word as well as inspire and bring people together.”