Climate change: Sheffield campaigners welcome Spanish walkers on march to big Glasgow COP26 summit

The group of Spaniards set off from Portsmouth to march more than 500 miles to Glasgow, visiting cities including Sheffield on their way.

They reach Sheffield on Wednesday (October 13), where they will be provided with a warm welcome, a meal and a place to rest, put up by families across the city.

They are determined to be part of the international protest at the COP26 conference in November.

The group say: “We are a small, very diverse group of people based in Spain who have decided to walk almost 1,000 km across the UK in the autumn. The climate crisis is reaching devastating levels.

“We are heading at lightning speed towards an ecological abyss of ‘untold suffering’. If walking 1,000 km under the notorious British weather can help raise awareness that our future and that of generations to come is at stake in Glasgow, then it will all be worth it."

Sheffield/South Yorkshire COP26 Coalition – including climate, community, trade union, anti-racist/migration, faith and youth campaigners to name a few - will hold a ceremony for the Spanish walkers as they leave to march to Barnsley on Thursday at 9-10.30am.

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The COP26 coalition said: “We invite the community of Sheffield as well as climate campaign, trade union, faith, community and youth groups to join us to congratulate the Spanish walkers for their strength in bringing everyone together in solidarity and taking with them one universal voice to the COP26 summit.

“Bring yourselves, your banners, your solidarity and hope!”

Massive demonstrations are being organised for November 6 in Glasgow and major British cities including Sheffield, and more than 28 countries.

A spokeswoman for the group said: “As Greta Thunberg rightly pointed out at the Youth4Climate summit, ‘This is all we hear from our so-called leaders. Words that sound great but so far have not led to action. Our hopes and ambitions drown in their empty promises’.”

See the Facebook page @SCCUGCOP26Coalition for more details or email [email protected].

Marchers’ website: marcha-a-glasgow.net/en/home

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