Swedish youth raise their voices for climate

© Alberto Pezzali / AP / TT
This sign in Glasgow reads ‘Just speak, no action’.

Thousands of young people are expected to vent their frustration during today’s demonstration in Glasgow, as the COP26 climate summit is in full swing.

It would be very easy to have a lot of men in suits, says scout Siri Ancarvoors, who is taking part in the demonstration.

Glasgow holds its breath. The Friday for Future protest movement said large crowds are expected during the day’s three-hour protest – which will be helped by Greta Thunberg.

Anton Foley, another Swedish activist, will participate in the demonstration.

It makes sense in a way that a lot of what’s going on inside the conference doesn’t work for me. He tells the TT emissary that I am too expensive to go to the demonstrations and speeches at the end.

‘symbolic things’

Dan Hallen is the captain of the Swedish Scouts based in Glasgow. He is looking forward to the demonstration.

– I think it is symbolic that the Scouts collaborate with Fridays for the Future. Scouts also advocate for the climate and have defended nature for 100 years, he says.

Scouts Siri Ancarfors believe it is important to be a representative of youth organizations.

It would be very easy for a lot of men to wear suits, higher education, and bureaucracy. So it’s good to be where you are and show that we in civil society have to fight for it, she says.

Young protesters are likely to express disappointment at what many see as the insufficient action by world countries and leaders on the climate crisis.

Representatives from nearly 200 countries are in Glasgow to discuss how to stick to the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to between 1.5 and 2 degrees. At present, the planned climate policies of countries do not adhere to this.

“Bla bla bla”

Thunberg wears Twitter He condemned COP26 as a “greenwash” and “a two-week celebration of everything going on as usual and such and such and such”.

Safety was tightened ahead of Friday’s rally and climate summit participants warned against closing roads and disrupting traffic. But Caitlin Smith, one of thousands of volunteers in the Scottish city during COP26, is not worried about the protests.

– Everything so far has been very peaceful and friendly, she tells TT.