November 4, 2009
The Wave
In August this year, the Scottish Parliament passed the toughest climate change legislation in the world. In Copenhagen next month, the world’s leaders will meet to agree global targets for greenhouse emissions. As part of a series of events being organised around the world, thousands of people from all walks of life and all parts of Scotland are expected to take part in the Glasgow Wave
What’s the Wave?
On Saturday 5 December 2009, ahead of the crucial UN climate summit in Copenhagen, thousands of people from across Scotland, from all walks of life, will flow through the streets of Glasgow to demonstrate their support for a safe climate future for all. The Wave is organised by Stop Climate Chaos Scotland – the largest coalition of Scotland’s civil society ever seen.
Help get The Wave rolling…
We need as many people as possible to turn out on the streets of Glasgow on the day, and we need help to make this happen. If you would like to volunteer to help make this demonstration a great success, there are a number of things you can do:
• Get the word out by email
• Add a clickable link from your website and Facebook to http://www.the-wave.org.uk/scotland
• Make sure everyone in your workplace and local community as well as your friends and family, knows about The Wave
• Be a community mobiliser, contact gail@stopclimatechaosscotland.org if you are interested in doing this
• Be a bus organiser, contact gail@stopclimatechaosscotland.org if you are interested in doing this
• Talk to your local media
• Give a talk on The Wave
• Promote The Wave at a local event, contact gail[at]stopclimatechaosscotland.org for flyers and posters
Where and when
The exact start time and meeting place is being finalised with Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Police but the day is set – Saturday 5 December 2009.
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) is a coalition of around 60 organisations in Scotland that are campaigning on climate change. Together we represent over two million people in Scotland, an amazing 40% of the population.
We have close links with the Stop Climate Chaos coalition in London and work with them on cross-border issues whenever we can. But Scotland faces many challenges relating to climate change that are quite different from England and Wales.
Much that affects climate change emissions and adaptation is devolved from Westminster to Holyrood, for example housing, transport, energy and education. The cultural, educational, legal, social and geographical context is different and Scotland’s potential for developing renewable energy has been recognized to be considerable. It is for these reasons that a strong Scottish coalition is working on climate change issues specific to Scotland, while keeping close ties with our colleagues in England and Wales, and indeed through our networks across the world.
The current focus of SCCS is the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament in June 2009. For more info read our briefing on the Bill.
Scotland’s own emissions account for only a relatively small percentage of the global total, so if we do achieve a ‘world leading bill’, SCCS will work to push the Scottish example as an international precedent. As the Bill is due to become law just before the UN talks in Copenhagen in December this year, there may be opportunities to influence these critical negotiations with our new climate change laws.
To find out more about Scottish campaigns, events or volunteering opportunities, please contact Gail Wilson, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coordinator:
Email: gail@stopclimatechaosscotland.org
Phone: 0131 311 6512
Post: c/o RSPB Scotland, Dunedin House, 25 Ravelston Terrace, Edinburgh, EH4 3TP