Looking ahead to November: COP26

Submitted by AWL on 18 March, 2020 - 4:29 Author: Cathy Nugent
There is no Planet B

Later in this year, assuming the UK has recovered enough from Covid-19, environmental activists will be active around 2020’s UN climate change conference, COP26, in Glasgow (9-20 November).

Probably very little radical or adequate policy will be decided at that conference, even though the world faces a pandemic and continuing climate crisis.

A lot of trade unions had been organising for a demonstration to put pressure on the conference. Work on that may now be suspended. Nearer the time we need to get it restarted, and get trade unions in Glasgow and Scotland are involved, including on the level of leafleting big workplaces in Glasgow and elsewhere to draw attention to the issues.

Socialists need to help the campaigning be bolder and more confrontational. We need to develop a class-struggle stream within the environmental movement. That means critiquing trade-union policies on such things as “just transition” and pushing for better ones.

What demands are important? Bring the energy companies into public ownership? End airport expansion? Abolish anti-union laws?

Most important will be to find ways to organise political discussion and education in the run up to and whilst the event is happening. That should be geared towards getting labour movement and climate activists to come together.

If you would like to help us with planning for our socialist interventions, get in touch: awl@workersliberty.org

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.