Kat Jones, COP26 Project Manager, gives a summary of how SCCS is supporting the international civil society community.
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), a coalition of civil society organisations in Scotland, has been working for nearly two years to create a warm welcome and to bring together facilities, accommodation and information for civil society visitors to COP26.
Here’s how you can access the things that we have been preparing for you.
Spaces for Change
We have been gathering community and faith venues in Glasgow to offer facilities for global civil society when they come to COP. We have bookable spaces of all types and sizes for meetings, events, hot desking, exhibitions, studio and rehearsal space.
These spaces are available to all civil society organisations coming to Glasgow, however we have a priority booking scheme for those travelling from Global South countries, or for under-resourced groups and those coming from the front line of the climate crisis.
Events
SCCS have set up climatefringe.org as an events hub where people can find out about all civil society-led events during COP26 – whether in the Blue Zone or the Green Zone, and throughout Glasgow in the civil society and community spaces.
Please upload any events you are planning.
We will also have a team of volunteers populating the website with events to ensure coverage across all events in Glasgow in November.
We have around 150 events a month online already, and some in person. Please have a peek and take part in some of the online events to meet the vibrant Scottish climate community before you come to COP.
Fill a shop window
We are aware that many groups, often those from places most affected by the climate crisis, will find it hard to travel to Scotland due to the Covid situation, visas and expense.
With this in mind, we are negotiating the use of shop-front exhibition space across Glasgow where we can exhibit banners, art and other messages from global civil society to world leaders at COP26. If there are groups interested in sending over items for these spaces, please contact us.
We have also helped the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (CAN) connect with Islanders based in Glasgow to help represent them.
Find the best local places
We want you to experience Glasgow as recommended by her people and where you will get a really warm welcome in our city.
If you are looking for the best places to eat and visit while in our city, we have created the Glasgow Green Map.
This map of the city has been crowd-sourced by Glaswegians and lists the best in sustainable shops, community-owned or locally-owned sustainable cafes and restaurants, bike shops, community gardens, parks and hidden gems to visit during any spare time you have.
Stay with a local host
We have set up a network of local hosts willing to host COP visitors in their homes.
The COP26 Homestay Network is set up to help people struggling to find affordable accommodation, particularly those from less-resourced groups and countries.
COP26 Coalition
We would also like to point you to another organisation, the COP26 Coalition.
Their website has information about the Global Day of Action, the People’s Summit and also the Visa support service.
Keep in touch
Please sign up to our Climate Fringe newsletter to keep abreast of plans and developments.
And follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram:
And finally…
Last of all, on behalf of civil society in Scotland, we want to extend a really warm welcome to Glasgow to anyone travelling to COP.
We realise that Covid presents significant challenges, but we are working as hard as we can to create safe, accessible and welcoming spaces hosted by local civil society for people who are coming to COP26.
See you in Glasgow!
