COP26 should be postponed - here's why

The COP26 UN Climate Talks are set to take place in Glasgow this November. Decisions made at these talks will have significant impacts on global climate action - or inaction - in the years and decades to come. But right now, many of the people who will be most impacted by these decisions are essentially locked out of the talks.

COVID19 is raging in the world’s poorest countries where only a small percentage have received vaccines. Rich countries have hoarded vaccines and have failed to support vaccine patent waivers that would allow more vaccines to be produced and distributed to those who need them. All of this means that rich countries will be well represented at COP26 - while unvaccinated delegates and activists from poorer countries will struggle to attend and have their voices heard.

The COP talks have always involved a struggle between rich countries pushing false climate solutions and delaying tactics versus poorer countries calling for greater climate ambition, real action and climate justice. That’s why global climate justice movements have been calling for the COP to be postponed. Holding it this year, without the ambition and justice based demands of global South countries would be a disaster. Climate justice demands that those hit hardest by the climate crisis must be represented or COP26 isn't legitimate. That’s why we’re supporting calls from climate justice movements to postpone the COP until it’s safe for people from all counties to participate.

Things you can do to support climate justice, vaccine equity and a fairer COP

Join our COP26 youth workshop

If you’re under 30, or a youth worker, you might like to attend our online COP26 youth workshop from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 25th September.

This workshop will support young people to learn more about how the COP climate talks work. We'll explore how young people have been pushing for an ambitious climate justice agenda at the COP through youth constituencies inside the climate talks - and through actions on the streets outside and around the world.

Read more about what the workshop will involve here.

Register for the worshop at this link

 

Support calls to postpone COP26

Friends of the Earth is supporting Friends of the Earth International’s call for the COP to be postponed. You might like to retweet our twitter thread about this here - or compose your own tweet tagging Irish politicians. You can read more about international calls to postpone the COP here.

Click here to retweet our thread calling for COP26 to be postponed

Support the People’s Vaccine Campaign

Friends of the Earth is proud to be a member of the People's Vaccine Alliance Ireland. People around the world are calling for a People’s Vaccine – freely available to everyone, everywhere. You can take action to support the People’s Vaccine as an individual by visiting its website at this link.

The People’s Vaccine is calling on the Irish Government to use its voice within the EU to support the TRIPS waiver to temporarily suspend intellectual property rights at the World Trade Organisation for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and diagnostics. This will help break Big Pharma monopolies and increase supplies so there are enough doses for everyone, everywhere. For more info, click here and here.

The People’s Vaccine is also calling on the Irish Government to endorse the World Health Organisation (WHO) COVID Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) to facilitate the sharing of know-how by Pharmaceutical companies to increase vaccine production. For more info click here.

Call on the Irish government to take a stand for fairness, equality and global health! Visit the Peoples Vaccine website here to sign the petition, tweet your TDs and show your support for vaccine equity.

Click here to visit the People's Vaccine website and take action