A race against time

Boris Johnson was spotted in Glasgow today during a SCIAF sponsored race. The race took place this morning near the SECC, the soon-to-be home of the COP26 summit, and launched our new petition to let the Prime Minister know that time is running out to tackle climate change.

The Johnson look-alike was seen racing against a large clock (donned by Olivia McKibbin, an S6 student and SCIAF supporter). The media stunt called attention to the countdown to COP26 and to the urgency needed by the UK government to tackle climate change.

As part of our “3 asks. 2 weeks. 1 planet” campaign, we’re calling on the Scottish public to sign our petition addressed to Mr. Johnson, which asks him to commit to 3 things:  

1. Pay to protect the poorest communities 

• Make sure financial support is given to those impacted by climate change so they can adapt and recover.

2. Act now to stop runaway climate change 

• Make sure world leaders commit to keeping rises in global temperatures below the disastrous 1.5°C threshold.

3. Listen to those on the frontline of the climate crisis 

• Make sure that people worst affected by the crisis are at the heart of the climate talks. 

A key aim of our petition is to call on politicians to listen to the voices of people in the world’s poorest communities, who are often most affected by the impacts of climate change. 

Our SCIAF Advocacy Manager, Dr Geraldine Hill, explained:

"Climate change is already having a devastating impact on the world’s poorest communities and as we’ve shown today, time is running away from us.

“While much of the focus has been on reducing emissions, we also want to highlight the support that is needed to help the world’s poorest communities adapt and recover. They are on the frontline of the climate crisis.

“As we inch closer to COP26, there is no doubt on what we need to do. Show your support by signing our petition. Now more than ever we need to come together as a global community – the world’s poorest people are counting on us.”

The SCIAF Climate Chorus showcases a variety of voices and their experiences of climate change in the lead up to COP26. Add your voice to the chorus and sign our petition today.