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.

I completely understand that meeting face to face is extremely valuable but I would like to know if the prospect of COP26 being held virtually was ever discussed?

@Indoctro

What about us that work in Oil & Gas.? Please don't say we can retrain as that's simply not possible. Ending oil and gas will have a huge impact on so many peoples jobs.

@Indoctro

We can't change the laws of physics just because we want to keep our jobs.

At Parents for Future we advocate for a just transition away from fossil fuels. The Green New Deal will create millions of jobs as we wean ourselves off fossil fuels. Your livelihood need not be at stake.

Nothing to ask but just a HUGE THANK YOU!!!! For taking it seriously and being a voice for nature x

@OldTinHat

How did you travel there?

@OldTinHat

By train.

@Treeshedgesponds

Nothing to ask but just a HUGE THANK YOU!!!! For taking it seriously and being a voice for nature x

Thank you, @Treeshedgesponds!!

Whilst campaigning and promoting veganism, do you understand than animal agriculture is essential to the production of fresh produce around the world and animals have been used to produce the vegan food you eat.

In order to farm in a way that is sympathetic to biodiversity, animal manure is need for fertilisers and grazing livestock in breaks reduces the need for pesticides and herbicides. That soil health is absolutely dependent on herd animals.

@Andante57

Parentsforfuture thank you for answering my question.

@Andante57 welcome!

Thank you for trying…I’m nowhere near as educated as I should be on this issue but hopeful that there are people like your group out there trying.
My question is: what are your thoughts on insulate Britain? To me it seems a bit of a dead cat strategy with everyone focussing on the inconvenience caused rather than the central message so maybe not the best idea but would be interested to hear what you think. Thanks.

@Lookjaz

How do you explain the way the earths climate has changed since day one with millions of years with no humans around, going from very hot to ice ages and back

@Lookjaz

You're right, the climate has been changing forever. But what's happening now is climate breakdown. And heat trapping gasses/global warming is only part of the issue. Humans have wiped out 60% of all wildlife in the last 40 years which has had enormous repercussions on ecosystems. Our impacts have devastated far more than just the temperature.

@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?

@NigellaSeedofChucky

Agree 100%. Let's hope they start banning things!!

What do you think is the single most important thing an ordinary person can do, which will have an impact, or are we past that stage now?.

@ParentsForFuture, I can't usually stand environmentalists as I hate being preached at, but I just wanted to say that this reply by you to @Topsyturvyloo surprised me as it was compassionate and not trying to make the poster feel guilty for not doing enough, so very unlike the usual ecowarrior response I've seen.

So glad you've mentioned this!!! We could not agree more. With every word you've said.

Because yes being 'eco' is often very expensive, and if you're time poor as well then being environmentally friendly is just one more thing to feel awful about.

But the truth is that ordinary people just trying to get by in this life are absolutely NOT to blame for any of this mess.

We are in this situation because a very small group of very rich men have engineered things this to be this way. In 2015, papers were leaked that proved that Exxon, Shell and other fossil fuel giants knew exactly what extracting fossil fuels would do to the earth, and that they went ahead and did it anyway - hiding all of this information from the public. It has been profit before people, for decades.

You are not to blame. I am not to blame. They are.

We live in a capitalistic system which exists to keep the rich, rich and the poor, poor. It's a baked cake - and we are all stuck in it. The whole system needs to be diamantled and rebuilt. And it is no one individual's responsibility to do that. We need to work together. BUT, those who have more time and resources need to do more than those who have less.

Not being able to see past the end of the day is massively legitimate reality for millions in the UK and beyond. You've articulated your feelings beautifully - and we completely hear you.

Please know that we will be fighting for you and your family at COP and afterwards. And that's a promise.

Actually, it makes me want to know more about what you're doing and how you're going about it.

@ParentsForFuture

Hi, I'd love to get involved in this somehow! I'm based in Kent!

A voice for our future generations is vital when it comes to climate change!

MeatyTuck MrsSkylerWhite perhaps you could explain why you think an outdoor event based around hundreds of people attending a large fire of scrap wood IS so bad for the environment? If you’re concerned about carbon emitted, I’d love to see a calculation of the net carbon released per capita and how it compares with other forms of entertainment? 🤔 Which, as I’m sure you’re so very concerned, is something you have an intimate knowledge of?? Pray do enlighten us 😆

@ParentsForFuture

Well put, I agree instead of use saying x is not doing his share of recycling therefore I'm not following , instead I agree that if we all try to do what we can for the environment, regardless of who's doing the preaching vs what they are actually doing, then hopefully it will at least make some effect.

Thank you for doing this. Please ignore the sneerers. I’d be interested to know how it goes.

@Anythingbutsnow

I completely understand that meeting face to face is extremely valuable but I would like to know if the prospect of COP26 being held virtually was ever discussed?

@anythingbutsnow yes it was looking like it might be virtual, but tbh this is one summit where it's massively important the delegates can look each other in the eyes and agree on a way forward.

It's also important that civil society can mobilize together, and unite to keep the pressure on.

Bonfires will produce lots of particulates , bad got air quality , but not hugely significant for climate change.

It's a strange fallacy to argue that if someone emits a kg of co2 then it's ok for everyone else to emit a few tonnes

We could probably save the world snd still have bonfires once a year

@ParentsForFuture

With all due respect, these days humans seem adept at misleading each other and as a pity as it is, just sitting across ect or in the conference, they can still say x, then jet, ship, train, bus, ect back and then worse case, very few targets or commitments are achieved , then the next conference rolls, round and similar again

Ah thanks bordermidgebite, that was my impression too. And, of course, a lot would depend on where the bonfire was (broadly, urban vs rural) and wind speeds etc, as to any adverse effect.

But what does MeatyTuck think about it, as an expert in their field? 🤔

@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.

How long are you at the conference for ? Will you be detailing this thread as and when possible ?

[quote Hawkins001]@ParentsForFuture

With all due respect, these days humans seem adept at misleading each other and as a pity as it is, just sitting across ect or in the conference, they can still say x, then jet, ship, train, bus, ect back and then worse case, very few targets or commitments are achieved , then the next conference rolls, round and similar again[/quote]
Agree, this 'oh no we couldn't possibly do this virtually, far too important us' is really annoying me, it just to me feels absolutely hypocritical as per my pp, surely if they actually want to practice what they preach it would all have been virtually held?

“We could probably save the world snd still have bonfires once a year“

And the billions of fireworks too? Why? There’s just no need for them, they serve no purpose at all.

I disagree with those advocating for a virtual summit. These are such sensitive diplomatic interactions - humanity is required. We are lucky to have virtual technologies of course, but they are a poor cousin of eye contact, feel and tone when trying to connect meaningfully with another person.

Genuine questions:

1. Why did neither of you stop at 1 or 0 children considering the environmental impact? I don't observe many environmentalist parents choosing to limit their family size in this way. Obviously there are plenty of other behaviours that can be modified but this is the biggest and it's never compromised upon in my middle-class circles. Please don't say you only tuned into the environment after having children as the issue has been headline news for at least a decade.

2. In what way do you think 'hand-delivering' a letter is going to be any more impactful than sending it electronically? Surely this would be the most environmental-friendly way of getting your message across. Presumably you won't be anywhere near world leaders, are they going to be in the audience watching you speak?
   I'm not sure why the entire conference isn't an online event? The train, private plane and overcrowding chaos is like satire.