Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

COP26: The story from Glasgow in 15 pictures

COP26: The story from Glasgow in 15 pictures

As the official business of the UN climate summit took place behind closed doors, some of the most eye-catching demonstrations, passionate speeches and unusual stories unfolded on the streets of Glasgow.
The media frenzy for Greta Thunberg


It's not often you'll see an 18-year-old surrounded by police and clamouring journalists in Glasgow Central station - but Greta Thunberg is no average teenager.

During her time in the city, people flocked to venues and demonstrations where she was rumoured to appear, hoping to catch a glimpse or a quick word on camera.

After the first day of summit discussions, as world leaders enjoyed a glamorous VIP dinner in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, she addressed a crowd in Govan's Festival Park, saying politicians were "pretending to take our future seriously".

Reiterating her comments at the Youth4Climate conference in Milan in September, she said: "We are tired of [leaders'] blah, blah, blah".

She later joined thousands of young people on the Fridays for Future march and gave a speech in George Square, branding the summit a "failure" and a "global north greenwash festival".

The arrival of the Rainbow Warrior


Residents in Glasgow were told to expect disruption to their daily lives throughout the summit, including through road closures.

Among the first to make headlines was the arrival of the Rainbow Warrior - Greenpeace's famous ship - which resulted in the temporary closure of the Erskine Bridge while the vessel sailed underneath.

It was transporting four young climate activists from areas affected by climate change and had hoped to dock opposite the conference venue - but instead stopped a couple of miles up river at the King George V dock.

The horse and cart that came from Cornwall
Michael Ransley and Tarateeno the Marvellous stopped for a break on Victoria Road in Glasgow


Early last week, bystanders on Victoria Road may have been fortunate enough to see Taranteeno the Marvellous clopping by.

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

They had originally set off for Glasgow more than two years ago but delayed their arrival until the summit had been rescheduled.

The activists aimed to raise awareness of the climate crisis throughout the host city, and were saddened to see the number of cars on the roads.

The new generation of climate campaigners

Vanessa Nakate is one of the best known of the new generation of campaigners against global warming - and was Uganda's first Fridays for Future activist.

The 24-year-old left her mark at both mass protests over the weekend, using impassioned speeches to raise awareness of the plight of the global south.

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

As one of the key speakers at the Global Day of Action rally on Glasgow Green, she told crowds how overnight storms seriously damaged a school which she and fellow campaigners helped to build in her home country.

"The strong winds and heavy rainfall will not stop, because the words and promises of leaders do not match their actions," she said.

The baby who joined a rally before her first birthday
A smiling Juneau made it to her first protest before her first birthday


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

She and her mother, April Hamilton, had travelled from Paisley because it was "too important" not to join the rally.

Ms Hamilton, a teacher, spoke highly of Greta Thunberg, whom she said was an incredible role model for her daughter.

The scientists who closed a bridge

Shortly before 100,000 people were due to walk through the city centre on 6 November, a group of scientists chained themselves to the King George V Bridge.

The group from Scientist Rebellion said they could not "rely on our leaders to save us anymore" and had a "moral duty to act".

Specialist police teams used bolt cutters to remove the 21 activists. who were then arrested and released on an undertaking.

The colourful dress
The Red Rebels again added a dramatic splash of colour to the protests


Despite pouring rain on Saturday, spirits were far from dampened - in part due to the colourful costumes and indigenous dress on display.

Some groups did not have representation during official conference proceedings, but nevertheless had eyes upon them at one of the largest protests in Glasgow's living memory.

Members of indigenous groups, some of whom had no formal representation at the summit, joined the march

Others used their costumes to get their message across


Organisers said about 100,000 marched through the city for the rally at Glasgow Green.

Meanwhile police praised the "good natured" activists who were in "high spirits" throughout the day.

The 'artivism'


This mural in Partick is the work of Daniel Rupaszov - a 25-year-old from Hungary who belongs to a group of artists and activists who visit COP every year to create art which highlights the climate crisis.

He is one of many activists who have expressed their views through artwork, from a "carbon unicorn" made by Friends of the Earth to a large knitted display by Stiches for Survival.

The cafe that fed a horde of vegans

Brave Bakers on Saltmarket was one of the few businesses in the area that opted to stay open the day 100,000 protesters walked by on their way to Glasgow Green.

Arouge Salin had worked at the coffee shop for about two months when the staff of three were inundated with drenched customers vying for hot coffee and vegan pastries.

She told the BBC: "It started off quiet, but we had a queue outside the shop until the walk passed - it was non-stop from 15:30 until 18:00, and we normally shut at 17:30.

"We sold out of everything vegan - which never happens. The only thing we had left was our chicken and bacon bake which is usually the first thing to go.

"And we sold so many coffees that our machine jammed. I think people just wanted something warm."

And finally, the banner banter

In the absence of costumes or conspicuous floats, young people used their imaginations to daub eye-catching slogans on protest signs for the youth march.

Activists made sure their messages were heard in their own voice - whether it was with a bit of humour or a Scottish accent.



Greta Thunberg branded the COP26 climate summit a "global north greenwash festival"

Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior sails under Erskine Bridge


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
UK Government Tries to Sue 4chan for Breaching Online Safety Act
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Cambridge Dictionary Adds 'Skibidi,' 'Delulu,' and 'Tradwife' Amid Surge of Online Slang
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
The CEO Who Replaced 80% of Employees for the AI Revolution: "I Would Do It Again"
"Every Centimeter of Your Body Is a Masterpiece": The Shocking Meta Document Revealed
Character.ai Bets on Future of AI Companionship
China Ramps Up Tax Crackdown on Overseas Investments
Japanese Office Furniture Maker Expands into Bomb Shelter Market
Intel Shares Surge on Possible U.S. Government Investment
Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. East Coast with Dangerous Surf
EU Blocks Trade Statement Over Digital Rule Dispute
EU Sends Record Aid as Spain Battles Wildfires
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
China Requires Data Centres to Source Majority of AI Chips Locally, For Technological Sovereignty
Escalating Clashes in Serbia as Anti-Government Protests Spread Nationwide
Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean: 'Catastrophic Storm' with Winds of 255 km/h
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Digital Humans Move Beyond Sci-Fi: From Virtual DJs to AI Customer Agents
YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. If it’s wrong, you’ll have to prove it
Jellyfish Swarm Triggers Shutdown at Gravelines Nuclear Power Station in Northern France
OpenAI’s ‘PhD-Level’ ChatGPT 5 Stumbles, Struggles to Even Label a Map
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
The World Economic Forum has cleared Klaus Schwab of “material wrongdoing” after a law firm conducted a review into potential misconduct of the institution’s founder
A Computer That Listens, Sees, and Acts: What to Expect from Windows 12
Bitcoin hits $123,000
Southwest Airlines Apologizes After 'Accidentally Forgetting' Two Blind Passengers at New Orleans Airport and Faces Criticism Over Poor Service for Passengers with Disabilities
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Russian Forces Advance on Donetsk Front, Cutting Key Supply Routes Near Pokrovsk
It’s Not the Algorithm: New Study Claims Social Networks Are Fundamentally Broken
Sixty-Year-Old Claims: “My Biological Age Is Twenty-One.” Want the Same? Remember the Name Spermidine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
The Billion-Dollar Inheritance and the Death on the Railway Tracks: The Scandal Shaking Europe
World’s Cleanest Countries 2025 Ranked by Air, Water, Waste, and Hygiene Standards
Denmark Revives EU ‘Chat Control’ Proposal for Encrypted Message Scanning
Perplexity makes unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer for Google’s Chrome browser
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
×