Global climate message to pass through west country
The longest continuous relay run ever attempted will carry a message to COP27 in Egypt
A message for world leaders calling for urgent action on climate change will pass through Bristol and Bath next month (October 6).
A record breaking relay run will see people attempt to pass a baton 7,767km from Glasgow where the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26 was held, to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, where COP27 is due to take place in November.
Called "Running Out of Time", it will see a message from young people put in the baton; it is expected to take 38 days and nights, passing through 18 countries.
The relay starts on September 30th 2022 and the inaugural stage will begin following an opening ceremony hosted by Glasgow City Council, where the message will be sealed in the baton.
It's been organised by The World Relay ltd and made possible thanks to several partners and supporters.
Carbon Copy is one of two official charity partners and is a national charity inspiring big-thinking local action to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises.
Ric Casale, Co Founder of Carbon Copy, says “Carbon Copy is delighted to team up with One Run for this extraordinary event.
"The relay is so symbolic of the ambition and collaboration we wish to see at COP27, and that we already see in the people working together locally to address the biodiversity and climate crises.
"This relay will also be a common thread that links thousands of inspiring climate action stories, showcasing leadership at all levels and encouraging more people to join in by doing something similar.
"Collective local climate action is having an impact globally, and we look forward to taking these stories to COP27 and sharing them with governments from around the world.”
Carried by runners, cyclists and sailors, the baton will journey on a route through Scotland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt - arriving to Sharm el-Sheikh on November 5th 2022 in time for COP27 which will take place from 6th-18th November 2022.
Runners - from kids to Presidents - have signed up to carry the baton in 5-10km stages of the route which crosses seas, mountain ranges, glaciers, and deserts, villages, towns and capital cities.
It will visit hundreds of schools, at-risk locations and climate change projects to inspire and champion local climate action.
At the same time, runners will be fundraising for the Foundation for Environmental Education’s Global Forest Fund and Carbon Copy.
Its first stop in our region will be at St Mary's Church in Almondsbury, which is scheduled for 7:05pm on October 6, from where it will travel to Bishopston and into Bristol city centre.
It will then head to Bath via Bitton at around 10:10pm, arriving at Bath's Botanical Gardens at around 11:20pm.
The official relay baton has been created by award-winning Glasgow-based designers 4c Design whose many accolades include the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton.
The iconic spiral design of the Running Out of Time baton represents the four essential layers of climate action - international, national, local and individual.