COP 30 – Belem in Brazil – November 2025
Hundreds march through Leeds to demand climate justice
Climate matters, people care
On Saturday November 15th, in the middle of COP30, over 300 people came together as the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Justice Coalition to march through the city, to rally and to make their voices heard.
The coalition’s demands included global climate justice, a just transition to a zero-carbon economy, and a rapid phase out of ALL fossil fuels, with the reminder that “This world is everyone’s”.
The rally took place in Merrion Gardens, in Leeds. The park looked stunning with colourful flags and banners on the fences, placards and people all over, and joined by Discobedience, Roadblock mobile sound system and the Red Rebels.
Who is the Climate Justice Coalition?
In the build up to COP26 in Glasgow, a global coalition of activists, NGOs, trade unions and other groups came together to make collectively agreed demands at the COP negotiations. Many countries had their own national coalitions, and in the UK, we organised regional hubs. In Yorkshire these included in Sheffield for South Yorkshire and another for West Yorkshire, called the Yorkshire and Humber hub.
The key players that you would expect are active in the coalition: Friends of the Earth, War on Want, Greenpeace, Campaign Against Climate Change, a number of trade unions and a lot of trade union activists…
Our local Yorkshire and Humber hub brings together Unite Community (Leeds/Wakefield/York), XR groups, Just Transition Wakefield, Zero Carbon Headingley, the Friends of the Earth network, GALBA, and more.
What were you seeking to achieve with this rally?
Firstly, this was not our group acting in isolation. There were at least 17 rallies across the UK, over 80 in Europe and others on every continent – Africa, Asia, the Americas – and in Belem itself. The aim is always to make ourselves heard to politicians, to decision makers and negotiators at COP; and to the public.
Together, we are calling for a global just transition. That means to cut emissions, protect nature, but also protect livelihoods and communities across the world. There are some parts of the world already planning for a future without land – Tuvalu and Kiribati for example are buying land and negotiating relocations for when their island nations are swallowed by rising seas.
But actually, the majority of major global cities from London and New York to Manila and Singapore, are coastal cities and are at risk from rising seas.
Other countries are increasingly vulnerable to increasing drought, or wildfire. Many countries have contributed little to the rising atmospheric carbon yet suffer the most. They need our support to adapt, and they need us all to cut emissions urgently to stabilise the climate so that they can stay in their homes.
We aimed to make ourselves heard to our UK politicians, to make sure that they took our global message to COP. But also to make sure that they remember that over 80% of the UK population wants more action on climate – to cut emissions, but also to adapt to changes: things like flood risk, heatwave preparations and drought prevention. We can and should be climate leaders, not hiding behind the right wing press that push climate denial and climate lies on behalf of the fossil fuel interests.
Do Climate COPs actually work?
The answer has to be both yes and no.
A report during COP30 recorded that there were more than 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists at COP30 – bigger than any country’s delegation apart from the hosts, Brazil. They were there purely to block action on climate so they can continue to pump oil and gas and pump the atmosphere full of carbon dioxide and methane. And ultimately to continue destroying the opportunities of future generations. They really do put their short term profits above life, civilisation and society. And emissions are still rising…
On the other hand, when the COPs started in the 1990s, we were on track for 6°C of warming by the 2100 – that has come down to 2.6°C – a significant drop. This is because it is not just left to the market to pollute, because governments everywhere are taking action. Businesses everywhere are taking action: because of the publicity and agreements from COP and because it is the right thing to do.
However, 2.6°C is way too much to maintain a stable climate for all countries, and we have already seen 1.5°C effectively breached, years ahead of expectations. We now see that the real world impact of 1.5°C warming is far more extreme than scientists expected. There is absolutely no room for complacency. Our calls for deep and rapid emissions cuts grow louder and more urgent. The next 25 years to 2050 look increasingly uncertain and feel increasingly perilous. Governments have not done anywhere near enough.
Why did you work in partnership with Leeds Palestine Solidarity Campaign?
Practicality and principle.
Joining with the Palestine march gave us the chance to highlight the destruction of nature in war as well as the death and injury to civilians. The destruction of the land and soil in Gaza has been staggering, and will take years to recover.
War always destroys the land as well as the people – it is a strategic aim of all wars. On top of that, war and military emissions are not even accounted for – but they all end up in the atmosphere.
This is not only about Gaza, but all wars and conflicts – Sudan, Ukraine, Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen. Look at the struggle to rebuild Syria.
There will be no climate justice without peace.
What did you want people to take home from the rally at the weekend?
We have three key messages for people:
- You are not alone. We are in this together and stronger together.
- There are so many people taking positive action. Find a group that resonates with you and join it! It could be a green gardening group, a wildlife or nature protection group, or a campaign action group. All of these are important, and taking positive action always makes us feel better.
- Keep writing to your MPs and councillors. They need constant reminders that this issue matters to you and others. MPs receive so many denial messages from the media and think tanks designed to confuse and undermine action on climate. They need to hear from real people.
2025 is on track to be the second hottest year on record, and the last three years the hottest three on record. Just before COP30, we saw Hurricane Melissa ripping through the Caribbean, closely followed by two successive typhoons ripping through South East Asia. The UK saw 40°C in 2022 and 4 successive 30°C heatwaves this summer. We have seen 3 years of climate driven food inflation. Things don’t get better from here – there is only one way until we stabilise the climate. This is climate breakdown.
Scientists at COP released a statement in the second week, to try and push negotiators a bit harder. They are clear that we need a 5% emissions cut EVERY YEAR, so that we are at zero emissions (not net zero, but actual zero) by 2040, 2045 at the very latest. And from there we have to keep capturing carbon from the atmosphere and locking it up in trees, in soil, in seas, in rocks.
But there are glimmers of hope. There are encouraging signals. China’s emissions have already levelled out, well ahead of target. Solar and wind are both cheaper than new fossil fuel power. Electric buses are in use all over the world, alongside electric cars. We have the technology we need – now we need is a government willing to implement the new and phase out the old – with fairness and justice, at pace.
To end, was the organising worth it?
Yes! Of course!
It is always hard work, and a lot of responsibility – but we share the work, we take collective responsibility. And we rely on so many partners and supporters. The coalition has received donations and support from Wakefield and District Trades Council, Wakefield NEU, XR York, Leeds Trades Council and ourselves. Our speakers and performers gave their time for free, and Friends of the Earth were a huge support too. We need to thank everyone involved, because it wouldn’t have happened without them.
Have we made an impact? Impact is always hard to judge, but politicians would notice if we were NOT there. And of course, because we were on Bradford Community Broadcasting the day before, and on ITV Calendar news after, a lot more people know about it!
Huge thanks to Ilze Millere for her amazing photographs, and a few others with phones!
COP27
This year’s (2022) COP is COP27. It is being held in Egypt and the theme is Global Justice.
We absolutely support calls from Global Majority or Global South nations for loss and damage payments to support their rapid transition to a zero carbon economy, to initiate adaptation measures and to cope with climate induced disasters such as drought and flood.
We are not confident of the outcomes, although there have been some very strong statements key leaders.
From the UN General Secretary, Antonio Guterres: “We in the fight of our lives and we are losing.” And “We are on the road to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator.“
From Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados: “We were the ones whose blood, sweat and tears financed the industrial revolution,” she said. “Are we now to face double jeopardy by having to pay the cost as a result of those greenhouse gases from the industrial revolution? That is fundamentally unfair.”
Even Joe Biden, US President was remarkably blunt, saying: “If we are going to win this fight, every major emitter needs to align with 1.5C. We can no longer plead ignorance of the consequences of our actions or continue to repeat our mistakes. Everyone has to keep accelerating progress throughout this decisive decade.”
Whether powerful words can overcome a record number of Fossil Fuel lobbyists, corporate greenwashing and silence on human rights remains to be seen…
COP26
Every year, the United Nations organise global conferences – Conference of the Parties, or COP. 2021 is the 26th COP focusing on Climate change – hence COP26.
COP26 is being held in Glasgow in November this year, and the Conference Presidency is held by the UK – specifically, by Alok Sharma, MP. People in the UK have a special opportunity, and special responsibility, to influence this global conference held in our own country. Just Transition Wakefield takes on that responsibility.
The IPCC published a report on August 9th, 2021, which makes it clear that people are responsible for climate change, and that we really are at crisis point. At the same time, we have seen a summer of climate breakdown across the world: there have been extreme heatwaves and extreme wildfires in Canada and the US, in Siberia and around the Mediterranean; there have been catastrophic floods across Europe, in China, in India, in West Africa. We have to cut emissions quickly if we are to stop even more extreme climate breakdown in the future.
The UK Government has set some impressive targets, but as yet it has no policy to meet those targets. It is also caught between understanding the need to act on climate, whilst being funded and lobbied by vested interests in the fossil fuel industry and others. This is why they are calling for emissions cuts at the same time as approving exploration licences for new oil and gas. We all have to focus their minds on the real problem: the climate and ecological emergencies and staying with 1.5 degrees of warming!
You can see our demands from the UK and World leaders in our “write to your MP” leaflet here.
Marching to COP26
A group of Spanish XR members are marching to Glasgow to arrive at the COP talks on October 31st, as the COP opens. This takes nerve, stamina and commitment! They passed through Wakefield on October 15th, pausing for a rally, a rest and refreshment! You can read all about it here.
You can also see a short film about the day, with thanks to Red Shed TV.
If you want to know more about the route, you can see it here.
Many of us have written to our MPs about COP26, including a late flurry timed to coincide with the Parliamentary debate. Now we have to keep the pressure on world leaders throughout COP26. The principle opportunity is through the Global Climate Mobilisation on Saturday November 6th. Civil Society groups across the world have joined forces to call for a global demonstration, aiming to get millions onto the streets across the world. Please join us in Leeds at 12 noon in Millennium Square. If you are a Trade Union member, assemble at 11:30 in Leeds City Square. Bring your banners, bring your flags and bring your placards. Bring your kids, bring your gran, bring your friends. We need to make world leaders take notice!
Civil Society (trade unions, environmental organisations, voluntary organisations) have come together to join their voices as the COP26 Coalition. Just Transition Wakefield is part of this coalition, and is an organising member of the Yorkshire and Humber COP26 Coalition who are organising the COP26 rally in Leeds. Do please support it!
If you would like to join us in pushing for climate action, please use the contact form at the bottom of the page – we would love to welcome you!
On 14/15 August 2021 we attended Wakefield Music Collective’s festival in Clarence Park, Wakefield, where we held COP26-related carbon conversations with many concerned people. Here’s a link to the Press release we issued.