Prince Charles has offered his support to the thousands marching through Glasgow today to protest COP26.
Parents took their children out of school to join the march which was being addressed by activist Greta Thunberg – and it is expected to attract up to 10,000 people on what is COP26’s Youth and Public Empowerment Day.
The Prince, a long-standing green activist, stated that he was invited by COP26 to join the demonstration, but that it was ‘difficult’ to march with the protest.
Charles expressed sympathy last evening with the anger and frustration felt by the young activists in a speech addressed to COP26 negotiators. He said that the ‘weight history’ was on their shoulders.
He added, “There is a big march tomorrow which some people have asked me to join – that’s harder – but the point of it all, please don’t forget those people out there. Don’t forget it’s their future.
Police escort a group of people through Glasgow as they take part in Fridays For Future’s march
As they walk through the streets of Glasgow during COP26, demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march.
Greta Thunberg (center) and demonstrators during Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow today
At the UN Climate Change Conference, Glasgow today, demonstrators are carrying placards
This afternoon, thousands of young activists marched through Glasgow as part the Fridays for Future rally
Demonstrators march through Glasgow during the Fridays For Future Scotland march during the Cop26 summit today
Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist joins thousands marching through Glasgow city center this afternoon with young activists
This afternoon, thousands of young activists marched through Glasgow as part the Fridays for Future rally
Today, thousands of young activists marched through Glasgow to protest climate change issues.
Today’s Fridays For Future march is in Glasgow. Some demonstrators carry banners while they walk the streets.
Glasgow Fridays For Future march: Demonstrators join as COP26 is focused today on youth empowerment and public participation
Today, the Fridays For Future march continues in Glasgow as the COP26 summit on climate change continues.
Charles stated yesterday that he met people from all parts of the world at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery Museum’s Chief Negotiators Reception.
“So many people are in such a dire situation of vulnerability with more people wanting to migrate as climate migrants, as they are finding such scarce resources such as drought.
“We will find ourselves in a very difficult situation with conflict and ever decreasing resources if we do not respond to their pleas for assistance.
“I can recall speaking about this 30 years ago in a lecture at Cambridge for the then Global Security Unit, but nobody was paying any attention. These people are important, and I ask you to pay attention.
Today’s demonstration saw pupils stage a strike at school from Kelvingrove Park to the west to George Square, demanding climate justice and holding leaders accountable.
One parent Laura McDonald (34), took her daughters Ellie, and Erin, out of Hermitage Primary School so they could go to the protest.
Yesterday, Prince Charles spoke at the Chief Negotiators Reception at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.
Friday for Future Climate Protestors marched through Glasgow today in support of a climate change.
Today, the landmark COP26 conference in Glasgow continues with demonstrators joining the Fridays For Future march.
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate activist who attended the Fridays for Future student march and demanded action from leaders today
Police officers ride their bikes ahead of the Fridays for Future march in Glasgow today at COP26
As the COP26 summit continues, demonstrators join Fridays For Future in Glasgow.
Today, protestors joined the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow as they marched through the streets of the city.
Greta Thunberg, centre, joins demonstrators during Fridays For Future in Glasgow this afternoon
She stated that she had been studying climate issues for a while and is well aware of the challenges facing humanity.
“They are 10 and 8 years old. My older child is more interested than ever in climate change and I hope that my youngest will too.
“I took them out today, and the school didn’t seem to mind. It’s great to see so many other schoolchildren. It’s an important day.
Miss Thunberg was a guest at the Fridays For Future Scotland event. This group of global activists was founded by young people inspired by the climate change stance of Swedish teenagers.
Striking council employees and protestors with Socialist Workers Party placards also protested.
Miss Thunberg was scheduled to speak alongside Vanessa Nakate, a Ugandan activist, and other youth campaigners from around world as well as local unionists.
Glasgow’s Fridays For Future march is underway today as young activists take to Glasgow’s streets.
Demonstrators march through Glasgow during the Fridays For Future Scotland march during the Cop26 summit today
As the climate change summit in Glasgow continues, demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march today in Glasgow.
Protesters march through Glasgow as young activists join forces with the Fridays For Future march
As the first week of COP26 begins, demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow today.
Friday for Future climate protestors marched through Glasgow today in support of a peaceful protest
Greta Thunberg, centre, joins demonstrators during Fridays For Future in Glasgow this afternoon
As part of the Fridays for Future rally, thousands of young activists marched through Glasgow this afternoon.
Demonstrators hold signs during the Fridays for Future march through Glasgow this afternoon at COP26
As world leaders gather in Glasgow for COP26, demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march.
Anna Brown, activist with Fridays for Future, Glasgow, stated that the event showed the need to move climate talks away from ‘enclosed spaces’.
She stated that the message was that the system of COPs, which has now had 26 – is not working. This system must be eliminated.
“The message is to listen to people on the streets, young people, and workers.
“We need to move it from being an enclosed space where people are unable to get involved to the streets so that people can see what’s going on and have a say.
“I think that part of it is designed to confuse people. If people don’t understand what’s being said during negotiations, they can’t criticise what’s happening and the decisions being made.
As the COP26 summit continues, demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march at Glasgow.
Greta Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist, attends the Fridays for Future student marches through Glasgow today
Demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march as the COP26 summit in Glasgow this afternoon
Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist, participates in a Fridays for Future march today at the COP26 conference.
As the COP26 summit in Glasgow continues, demonstrators will join the Fridays For Future march.
Patience Nabukalu is a climate activist from Uganda who works with Fridays For Future MAPA (Most Affected Persons and Areas). She said Cop26 was ignoring those that matter.
She said that it was like she didn’t attend. It’s almost as if we are excluded from the most affected people.
Ms Nabukalu claimed leaders at COP26 are ‘deciding for us’ instead, saying: ‘Many people in my country are suffering. Because of the crisis, children aren’t going to school.
“Climate Change is Real in My Country” It is one of the most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis. People are being flooded every day in my country. We are experiencing a lot from climate change.
When she was asked if she felt that the voice of Global South is being heard, she answered: “Honestly, no. People from the Global South are the most affected. We are not heard.
Today’s protest marks the beginning of two more. Tomorrow’s protest should attract more than 50,000.
During today’s Fridays for Future march, during the UN Climate Change Conference at Glasgow, a baby lies next to an unsigned sign
Fridays For Future youth climate group organizes a march to George Square in central Glasgow this afternoon
Placard-wielding activists attend the Fridays for Future student march to Glasgow against climate change.
A protestor speaks as youth activists protest the Fridays for Future march at the COP26 summit today in Glasgow.
Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist, joins thousands of young activists marching through Glasgow today
It comes after Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi criticised young climate protesters for travelling to Glasgow to demonstrate outside Cop26 today – saying they should not be there in ‘school time’.
Senior Cabinet minister warned them that they were wasting their time and threatened to fine their parents for truancy if their parents attended the march that will feature Miss Thunberg’s speech.
Mr Zahawi stated that youth climate protesters should be present on weekends rather than during school hours.
When asked by Times Radio whether he had been invited to join them in the show, Mr Zahawi responded: “No, I am not… I must say, I wish they were doing this on a Saturday and Sunday, not during school hours.
“I would hate to be in a situation where teachers and headteachers have to fine students and families.
“We have two weekends of COP in Glasgow where they can have lawful protests, and they should have them and have the right to do so. I would be happy to engage with anyone who wishes to come and tell my exactly what they think.”
As the COP26 summit continues, a demonstrator joins the Fridays For Future march to Glasgow this afternoon.
Today, demonstrators join the Fridays For Future march in Glasgow as the COP26 summit proceeds
Fridays for Future student protest against climate change in Glasgow today.
Demonstrators in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, ahead of Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow.
Today, demonstrators with banners attended the Fridays for Future march at COP26 in Glasgow
Demonstrators in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, ahead of Fridays for Future Scotland march through Glasgow.
Greta Thunberg, centre, joins demonstrators during Fridays For Future in Glasgow this afternoon
Parents can be fined if their children are tardy to school by local authorities. Fines start at £60 but repeated offences can see them rise to £2,500, as well as possible jail terms of up to three months.
Rosamund Adoo Kishi Debrah, whose daughter Ella was killed by severe air pollution, is one of the mothers who will be submitting a letter to COP26 asking for an end of new fossil fuel funding for the sake their children’s health.
They will then join the youth strikers marching in Glasgow.
Today’s protest is ahead of tomorrow’s marches where tens to thousands of people are expected in Glasgow. There will also be marches in London and other cities across the UK.
Protests are taking place at the end the first week of the conference. Countries are being pressured to increase their ambitions in cutting greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. This will help to avoid the worst effects of warming and ensure financial support for poor countries to address the crisis.
Around 120 world leaders gathered earlier in the week to discuss the steps they were taking for addressing the climate crisis at the COP26 summit.
Nadhim Zhawi, Education Secretary, criticised young climate protesters who traveled to Glasgow to demonstrate for today’s climate change.
There were also announcements regarding curbing deforestation and phasing out the use of coal, as well as boosting financial flows to help transform economies to be more green.
Shadow secretary to the shadow business Ed Miliband warned that we shouldn’t’shift the goalposts’ and instead focus on long term targets and vague announcements in different sectors, rather than on urgent action from countries to reduce their emissions to keep the world on track to limit the rise to 1.5C.
Last night, John Kerry, the US special presidential envoy to climate issues, said that the COP26 summit was a ‘critical” event and that it is the world’s last best hope to get us back on track.
At the CBI dinner, he called for developed countries to support less-developed countries in fighting climate change. He warned that trillions of dollars are needed from private finance because ‘no government in the world is able to deal with climate change’.