Climate Action & COP26 with Cal Major
This article will take approximately 3 minutes to read
Published 31 Aug 2021 in Raising Awareness
With the UK hosting the 26th United Nations(UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow at the end of October, we wanted to let colleagues know a little more about the event focused on taking climate action. We caught up with Cal Major, our Environmental Ambassador, who helps introduce the topic in more detail, so read on to find out more!
COP26 - What is it, and what relevance does it have to us?
Hi there, Cal Major here. I’m the Environment Ambassador for the Midcounties Co-operative, and in this blog, I hope to answer some questions you might have about COP26, and its relevance to us.
COP26 is the coming together of over 200 nations to discuss, and find solutions to, the global climate and biodiversity crises.
COP stands for ‘Conference of the Parties’; this is the 26th one, and in the time since the first COP, climate change has not only worsened, but found its way dramatically up the political agenda, and into people’s awareness. These conferences are essential to review global approaches to the issue since the impacts of one nation can have far-reaching effects around the world
This year, COP26 is being hosted by the UK, in Glasgow, in November. This is a particularly important COP because, as well as being widely regarded as the most pivotal point yet in our need to stop runaway climate change, it marks 5 years since the Paris Agreement - the agreed time when those commitments must be reviewed and updated.
What is the Paris Agreement?
This was a unique commitment by all attending parties at COP21 in Paris in 2015 to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees, and make funds available to tackle this global issue. Why is this important? We’re already starting to see the effects that warming our planet is having - floods, fires and melting ice caps are just the tip of the iceberg. Global heating has severe implications for human health from loss of livelihoods to death of some of the most vulnerable people around the globe, many of whom live in nations with some of the lowest carbon emissions. This is a global humanitarian crisis as well as an ecological one.
Much of the discussion around climate change is understandably focused on carbon emissions, which is without doubt one of the main drivers of our changing climate. However nature and biodiversity loss also have a vital role to play, and our planet’s ecosystems are threatened by over-exploitation and destruction. Healthy ecosystems are responsible for the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat and for helping to mitigate climate change, so we really cannot discuss one without the other. We need nature in order to live on this planet - protecting it is paramount alongside reducing our global carbon emissions. We have to look at our relationship with, and impact on, the planet as a whole.
What is the relevance to us?
Everyone has the ability to help limit their impact on the planet. Moreover, companies and governments have a responsibility to tackle these global issues locally, and have even more of an ability to leave a positive legacy.
Sustainability is a subject very close to the Midcounties, core to the values that drive operations, and for years they have been taking action to limit their impact on the environment, in line with UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
I’m really pleased and proud of the actions Midcounties have taken over recent years including:
- supporting Community Energy through Co-op Community Power, empowering communities to create and utilise renewable energy sources such as wind and solar
- replacing 8 million single-use plastic bags a year with compostable bags in Food Stores
- inspiring the next generation in climate action through Childcare Nurseries, achieving eco school status across the nursery settings by embedding a range of environmental principles into the children’s everyday learning
- rolling out the 1 Change campaign to help educate and empower members to tackle single-use plastics
- sharing best practices across the world around climate action working with other co-ops and business networks
Paddle against plastic pick ups
Collecting waste from our UK waterways
Compostable bags in our Food stores
I am personally really looking forward to being a part of the Midcounties Co-op’s ongoing work to tackle climate change and nature loss, and empower communities to connect to and protect local areas. People will protect what they love, but they can only love what they know, and local communities are best placed to protect local places. I’m looking forward to helping connect more Midcounties members to their local waterways through paddleboarding sessions and Paddle Against Plastic pick-ups, and continuing our work with the 1 Change campaign. I’m also super excited about our partnership with Seaful, to help more people experience blue spaces for wellbeing and to nurture stewardship, and collaborating with other organisations supported by Midcounties, such as Mind and the Young Carers networks.
Although climate change and biodiversity loss are global issues, many of the solutions are most powerful when implemented locally. It can feel overwhelming to look at the big picture, but focussing on the action we CAN take is really important. Acknowledging that our decisions and how we use our individual and collective voices do make a difference and will help to tackle some of that overwhelm. The ability, and dedication, to engage and support the local community is one of Midcounties biggest strengths, and we have the ability to work together as a caring community.
I’d like to leave you with a quote from Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute. She has worked broadly on conservation and animal welfare issues for over 60 years:
“I like to envision the whole world as a jigsaw puzzle... if you look at the whole picture, it is overwhelming and terrifying, but if you work on your little part of the jigsaw and know that people all over the world are working on their little bits, that's what will give you hope.”
That’s all from Cal for now but make sure you keep an eye on Colleagues Connect for further updates and opportunities to take climate action as we move towards the beginning of COP26 later this year.