I'm a mum going to COP26 - AMA

[ParentsForFuture]

We're Charlotte and Rowan from Parents for Future UK, a growing group of parent climate campaigners. We're going to COP26 in Glasgow to demand ambitious action on the climate emergency and are planning what will be the biggest mobilization of parents ever on a single issue, with other parent groups. Mumsnet reached out to us to come on and answer your questions on COP26 and how parents can make their voice heard. Our work is led by parents and rooted in love (and fear). Charlotte (Mumsnetter) is from Bath and Rowan is from Oxford, and we each have two children, aged 3 and 7.

[17to35]

what are you doing with your children?

[Griefmonster]

I don't understand what activists do at a meeting like this. Day to day what do you expect to be doing?

[Billlius]

Can you get me Joe Biden’s autograph please?

[gildalily]

Thanks for going and representing here. How did you get involved with your organisation and what day to day things do you do as an activist?

[JuliaMumsnet]

Hello everyone - we're grateful to Parents For Future UK for coming on to answer questions after we reached out as we've seen quite a few threads on the climate and the environment recently. No question is too stupid! Some ground rules:

1. One question per MNer

2. Keep your question brief.
3. Don’t heckle if your question doesn’t get answered.
4. Do be civil/polite.
5. If one question threatens to overwhelm the AMA, MNHQ will usually ask for people to stop repeating the same question or point.

Thanks

MNHQ

[AlphabetAerobics]

Were you able to park your private jet at Glasgow or did you need to drive in from Edinburgh?

[UltimateBugKilla]

If the government were to bow down and grant everything campaigners are asking to in the UK, would it have any impact on the global issue and health of the planet (genuine question)

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Are you "official" attendees, or are you protesting?

Sorry if that seems a really silly question, but I can't work it out from your post, and it would influence the type of question I'd ask!

[NigellaSeedofChucky]

Thank you for donating your time. I don't know what to ask really, I just know most normal folk do their best to recycle and look after our own small patches, and we need the big companies to actually do something. After they going to start banning things and creating more green legislation after this?

[CoronaPeroni]

Lol at first reply! I'm surprised you didn't confirm they'd left a meal in the fridge for dh to reheat.

[ParentsForFuture]

@17to35

what are you doing with your children?

Hi there,
We’ll be in Glasgow this week at COP26 to hand deliver a letter to world leaders, asking them to end the financing and exploration of fossil fuels. We want clean air for our children and we will do everything we can to fight to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees. This is a campaign we've worked on with lots of other parent groups - it is the biggest mobilisation of parents ever on a single issue, so please do check it out and join us.

[DontGiveAFlyingFig]

Can the things we do really change anything especially as it appears China and Russia in all honesty couldn't care less?

[OldTinHat]

How did you travel there?

[MrsTerryPratchett]

@17to35

what are you doing with your children?

FFS

[ParentsForFuture]

@17to35

what are you doing with your children?

@17to35 - such a good question. Mine are with Daddy. Needless to say a bit of extra planning for me to leave piles of school uniforms and warm clothes for bonfire night!!

[Bollindger]

Having watched the GMTV interview, can I ask how your going to prepare, as the lady on the interview lost her head and just appeared like a fanatic.

[Justmuddlingalong]

I thought bonfires were bad environmentally. 🤷‍♀️

[NeverRTFT]

Lots of sound bites saying we/governments "must act" and "things must change". What exactly are activists and scientists asking for?
In my mind it can only entail wholesale changes to how we live (no more flights for leisure or pleasure, change our diets, redistribution of working/living zones in urban areas to reduce travel, stop manufacturing plastic altogether, and so on...) and also to how economies function.
Is this what governments are there to do? Or just make more targets and take some pics?

[slightlysnippy]

How do you think we should finance the creation and implementation of new technology that will replace the fossil fuels that heat our hospital's and deliver our food?

[slightlysnippy]

Heat = power our hospital's

[ParentsForFuture]

@Griefmonster

I don't understand what activists do at a meeting like this. Day to day what do you expect to be doing?

@Griefmonster We are hoping to bring the parent climate voice to the civil society events, but also a number of the events for the world leaders.

One of the key things we will be doing is handing in a letter directly to the world leaders, asking for an end to all fossil fuel financing and exploration. This is part of the largest mobilization of parents on this issue and we are working with a lot of other climate groups on this.

We have a team of other mothers coming from the Global South. Many of them will be talking at events to highlight the impact climate change is having in their communities and countries. And sharing their experiences of community action and mobilisation.

We have lots of talks, speeches and meetings lined up but we will also be on the streets marching and demanding immediate action. #Act4OurKids

We will be bringing the parent voice from those who can't make it from our global community too. Watch out for a film they have made for the world leaders on our social media feeds.

Hope it leaves a few hours to eat and sleep!

[PooWillyNameChange]

@Justmuddlingalong

I thought bonfires were bad environmentally. 🤷‍♀️

Why always the insistence that climate activists need to be perfect to want change? It's not an achievable standard and it doesn't make sense. We don't ask those campaigning for healthy eating to have never eaten anything processed or unhealthy, etc?!

[ParentsForFuture]

@Billlius

Can you get me Joe Biden’s autograph please?

@Billlius We will do our absolute best!

[MrsIglesias]

Thank you Charlotte and Rowan for what you are doing!

I'm so concerning about the worsening state of our planet (and life-support system!) that we are leaving to our children. What's one thing I can do to help you (that can be done in 2/3 mins if possible pls!)

[MatildaIThink]

@ParentsForFuture

We're Charlotte and Rowan from Parents for Future UK, a growing group of parent climate campaigners. We're going to COP26 in Glasgow to demand ambitious action on the climate emergency and are planning what will be the biggest mobilization of parents ever on a single issue, with other parent groups. Mumsnet reached out to us to come on and answer your questions on COP26 and how parents can make their voice heard. Our work is led by parents and rooted in love (and fear). Charlotte (Mumsnetter) is from Bath and Rowan is from Oxford, and we each have two children, aged 3 and 7.

Who do you want to act? If you say "the government" do you realise that means taxpayers footing the bill, are you prepared to pay more in tax to fund the changes required?

Are you taking personal action, have you started eating seasonally, cut down on meat and dairy consumption, stopped flying, bought an electric car, installed a heat pump?