Margaret Greenwood, MP for Wirral West, joined Wirral faith groups on a walk for climate justice, ahead of the UN COP26 climate summit in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November.
People from across Merseyside took part in five relay walks to the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral to call for urgent action at COP26 to address the climate crisis.
The relays were organised with support from Christian Aid, Together Liverpool and Faiths4Change. Walkers were met at the cathedral by Rev Canon Dr Ellen Loudon and invited to attend the evensong service.
The event was inspired by the Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) Relay to COP26 walk, which began at the G7 in Cornwall in June and will finish at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
People of all faiths and none have joined the Relay to COP26 as it makes its way up the country, raising awareness of the devastating effects of climate change.
Many of the world’s poorest countries are facing the double threat of a global pandemic and the ongoing effects of climate change through extreme weather events such as floods and droughts.
The COP26 climate talks will bring together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners in Glasgow to agree on coordinated action to tackle climate change.
The YCCN is calling on the UK government to use its pivotal role as host of COP26 to push for an inclusive, green and just economic recovery which addresses the impacts of Covid, debt and climate change.
Ahead of COP26, YCCN campaigners are calling on the government to:
- Reinstate the aid budget to 0.7% GDP
- Secure agreement from rich countries to meet and exceed the decade-old commitment of $100bn a year for climate finance
- Provide finance for climate-induced loss and damage; the costs incurred by climate impacts which cannot be adapted to.
- Push for the debts of the world’s poorest countries to be cancelled so they can better confront the climate crisis and other urgent priorities
To join the Relay to COP26 or to find out more about the campaign, visit: www.yccn.uk/relay 
Margaret Greenwood MP said, “I was pleased to be able to walk with people from churches and faith groups from across Wirral to join the Relay to COP26.
“It is really important that governments take urgent action on climate change and the walk was a great opportunity to raise public awareness of this.
“The climate emergency is the most pressing issue facing humanity. The YCCN is quite rightly calling on government to reinstate the aid budget to 0.7% of GDP, secure agreement on the $100 billion a year commitment for climate finance and push for the cancellation of the debts of the world’s poorest countries.
“The climate emergency is a global crisis and the situation is urgent; COP26 is a critical opportunity for governments to take action.
“I would like to congratulate everyone who is taking part in the Relay to COP26 for speaking out on this incredibly important issue.”
Photo shows Margaret Greenwood MP with (from left) Penny Vernon, Alan Vernon and Roland Graham.
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