I am thinking of the Glasgow COP26 Climate Change Conference 2021, from the point of view of 16 year old Swedish climate change activist, Greta Thunberg. I am very excited to protest and get her point across. I could have posed for photos with a world leader of my choice, but I decided to use Glasgow for activism. I have already led a protests in Festival Park, saying "Please say no more blah blah blah" in a message to world leaders about climate change mitigation. However, I am also be very worried as there has not been much progress in the recent COP meetings. Will the world leaders will make enough ambitious agreements to prevent climate calamity?
I am thinking of the Glasgow COP26 Climate Change Conference 2021, from the point of view of UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. I am feeling the pressure of this meeting, knowing that we running out of time to make decisions on action towards climate justice. I am even more pressured that the UK is hosting the conference. Yet I am cautiously optimistic; the doomsday clock is still ticking … but we've got a bomb disposal team on site. How will other countries react to my perspective; will they agree or disagree?
Circle of Viewpoints
Glasgow COP26 Climate Change Conference 2021
I am thinking of the Glasgow COP26 Climate Change Conference 2021, from the point of view of the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping. I have very different views to other world leaders, and I was rudely criticised for not attending the conference in person by US president Joe Biden, who described it as a 'big mistake'. In 2019, China emitted 27% of the world's greenhouse gases – more than double the closest competitor. I made no major pledges in my written address and I will not commit to specific goals to make up for them. Coal is a useful, cheap resource vital to China's economy, and I will not give it up for this climate change rubbish, a minor inconvenience that can be left to future generations to fight. Why must we set specific goals for reducing emissions and promoting green energy, to combat an issue that doesn't exist?
I have gained a new depth of knowledge and now I understand the pressure for Glasgow to succeed, the different views of world leaders and how hard it is to agree on targets and fight climate change. I wonder how hundreds of other countries are doing in cutting emissions and if developing countries will manage well in the years to come.