COP26: Global Day of Action sees thousands descend on cities across UK
Tens of thousands of activists are gathering in Glasgow where the COP26 summit is being held.
Last updated 6th Nov 2021
Tens of thousands of protesters are taking to streets across the UK and around the world to demand action on climate change.
In Glasgow, where the crucial UN summit is taking place, about 50,000 people are expected to march through the city centre as part of the Cop26 Coalition's global day of action for climate justice.
Hundreds of protesters have gathered at the Bank of England in central London for the start of a march through the city, while world leaders meet at Cop26 in Glasgow.
Banging steel drums, chanting "one solution" and waving Extinction Rebellion banners reading "tell the truth", the protesters said they are planning to march two miles to Trafalgar Square.
Elsewhere, around 100 people attended the "Draw a Line in the Sand for Climate Justice" event at Coldingham beach.
The latest demonstrations come midway through the Cop26 summit, which has seen about 120 leaders gather in Glasgow to set out the action they are taking and commit to curb deforestation, phase out coal, end funding for fossil fuels abroad and cut methane emissions.
But there is still a significant gap between the measures countries have committed to and what is needed to avoid more than 1.5C of warming, beyond which the worst floods, droughts, storms and rising seas of climate change will be felt.
As the protests take place, negotiations continue at Cop26, while the conference is also focusing on the role of nature, land use and agriculture in tackling climate change on Saturday.
One of the protesters taking part in Saturday's demonstrations, Mikaela Loach, is a young Scottish climate activist who is challenging the UK's North Sea oil and gas expansion in court.
She said: "Many thousands of us are marching right across the world today to demand immediate and serious action.
"We're clear that warm words are not good enough - and that the next week of talks must see a serious ramping up of concrete plans."
Greta Thunberg at a rally in Glasgow
Young speaker at Greta Thunberg rally
Protest in George Square at Cop26
Extinction Rebellion march reaches the Squinty Bridge near Cop26 venue in Finnieston
Protesters at the Greenwash march organised by Extinction Rebellion
Giant pokemon characters coal protest at Cop26
Tree man on stilts at Cop26 Extinction Rebellion protest in Glasgow
Cop26 protest on the steps of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
An activist taking part in a protest outside the Cop26 venue on the last day of climate talks