Climate Activists Highlight Orkney’s Rising Sea Levels #COP26

By theorkneynews on October 30, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

A small but dedicated group of Orcadian climate activists held a short demonstration today, 30th October at the sea defences in Kirkwall.

Commenting before the event Dave, a spokesperson for the group said:

“As island communities, we can see our climate changing. Coastal roads are overtopped by storm surges more regularly and the shorelines are eroding faster than before.

“We need a transition away from fossil fuels to end the melting of glaciers and ice caps that is feeding sea level rises.

“The COP26 summit in Glasgow next month needs to make firm commitments to tackle emissions and protect island communities worldwide.”

Orkney Climate Action which was recently set up with COP26 in mind state that they wish to put climate change back on the agenda of both locals and politicians. Although several key countries have refused to send delegates, COP26 is a major gathering of leaders, following on from years of work since the Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997. The COP21 summit in 2015 created the Paris Agreement, which committed nations to a 1.5°C total temperature rise. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement left out binding targets in individual countries.

Event organiser Graham added:

“Lots of people are making an effort to cut their personal CO2 contributions, both here in Orkney and worldwide. Yet governments and major industries are promising too little and delivering less. Plans to approve further fossil fuel exploitation in the North Sea are directly at odds with what the UK government is saying, just when it should be sending a clear message to visiting world leaders in Glasgow.”