COP26 Special

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

The climate summit in Glasgow, COP26, starts on Sunday 31 October. So, as well as keeping you up-to-date with all that has been happening at Saltholme, we want to tell you more about this crucial conference. There will be a bit of climate jargon in today’s blog post, so we’ve put in a glossary at the bottom of this post.  

What is COP26, and why is it important?

COP26 refers to the United Nations’ 26^th climate change Conference Of the Parties (COP). It will run from 31 October to 12 November 2021.  Representatives from more than 190 countries will be attending; the UK and Italy are working together to host world leaders, climate activists, climate scientists and other key figures as they take stock of what has been done so far to tackle climate change. More importantly, COP26 is also an opportunity to make new policies and international targets to keep global temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Charities, members of the general public and key figures in the fight against climate change will also have the opportunity to contribute to the discussions.

So, why is this so important?

• COP26 is the first COP event to take place in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. World leaders now recognise that, unless climate change is tackled, pandemics like the one we saw in 2020 are likely to become more common. So, many nations and individuals are going into COP26 with a renewed sense of occasion, circumstance and urgency. This means many see this as the most significant COP event yet.
• Climate change did not stop for covid. In fact, the areas most negatively affected by covid are also the areas that are experiencing the most detrimental effects of climate change. To help these areas, creating new policies to combat climate change is critical. Furthermore, many believe we are reaching a critical milestone, beyond which changes to the climate will be too drastic to reverse. COP26 may be one of the last opportunities to make a more conscious effort to combat climate change before it is too late.
• An international conference will lead to international solutions. We can all do our bit to live more sustainably. But international cooperation is vital for sorting out issues such as carbon emissions. An international conference such as COP26 allows nations to work together to achieve shared goals, holding each other to account to make sure they don’t back out of their commitments!

What is the RSPB doing for COP26, and how can I get involved?

Image Credit: Tom Mason, RSPB Images

The RSPB is taking part in the Global Day of Action on 6 November. On this day multiple organisations, involving millions of people, will march to demand action on climate change from world leaders attending COP26. You could attend a march, or walk 1.5km to support a march if there isn’t one near you. You can also take to social media to share how you are doing your bit for the planet. Remember to mark your post with #myclimateaction! More information on the Global Day of Action can be found at https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/my-climate-action/cop26-march/

The RSPB also takes a longer-term approach to COP26 and climate change. We want to encourage people to take small steps that make a big difference. So, why not look into what you can do to reduce your personal environmental impact? Check out the ‘References and Further Reading’ section of this blog for links to some good resources.

Finally, we would encourage you to keep up-to-date with COP26 news, and the latest intelligence on climate change. Various newspapers and news websites will be reporting on the conference. And it’s much easier to take action when you know what’s going on!

This Week at Saltholme

News from the Estate:

The estates team got their wellies and waders out this week to maintain the pools on our dragonfly walk. Over the last few months, the vegetation growing in the ponds has, well, grown. These aquatic plants had started to encroach on the open water sections of the ponds. Organisms such as dragonflies need a mix of open water and vegetation; vegetation is needed to provide places to rest, and open water is needed to catch food. So, by maintaining this balance, the estates team are encouraging more dragonflies and other wildlife!

What’s On:

Our Halloween Trail has been in full swing this week and loads of you have been getting involved! The Saltholme Sorcerer needs to complete her spell before 31 October, and you lot have been helping her find the ingredients she needs. So, armed with magic wands and spellbooks, many children have successfully completed the trail! The Saltholme Sorcerer is very grateful to all who have taken part so far.

The Saltholme Sorcerer has been watching over her cauldron, making sure her spell doesn’t boil over!

Sightings:

As well as the bittern making a reappearance at our Wildlife Watchpoint hide, we have seen a peregrine falcon flying over Saltholme Pools this week, in addition to waders such as an avocet.

Image Credit: Katie Nethercoat, RSPB Images

The peregrine falcon is the largest UK falcon, and is also the world’s fastest organism; it can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour when it dives, or ‘stoops’, to catch its prey. They evolved to nest on sheer cliff faces, but have since become more common in industrial areas and cities- tall buildings work just as well as a cliff face when you’re a peregrine!

Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images

The avocet feeds on aquatic insects, crustaceans and worms. Its distinctive bill is specially adapted to help it find and catch these organisms. It was once nearly extinct in the UK, so is one of the nation’s best examples of a successful conservation initiative.

But it’s not just these species that have been seen at Saltholme! Ian Robinson, one of our hide guides, has kindly shared these videos that were filmed over the last couple of weeks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qK7QGKK0pg&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgZ-Oy-p6X0&t=3s

References and Extra Reading

BBC (2021). COP26: What is it and why is it happening in Glasgow in 2021? [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51372486 [last accessed 27/10/2021].

COP26 (2021). COP26 Explained [pdf]. Accessed through https://ukcop26.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/COP26-Explained.pdf [last accessed 27/10/2021].

COP26 (2021). Glasgow COP26 [webpage]. Accessed through https://ukcop26.org/ [last accessed 27/10/2021].

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2021). Avocet [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/avocet/ [last accessed 28/10/2021].

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2021). COP26 and CBD COP-15: why nature is essential in the fight against climate change [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/rspb-news/news/stories/cop26-and-cbd-cop-152/ [last accessed 27/10/2021].

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2021). Peregrine Falcon [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/peregrine/ [last accessed 28/10/2021].

Simon Ingram (2021). What is COP26- and why is it a big deal? [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/cop26-explained [last accessed 27/10/2021].

The Wildlife Trusts (2021). Avocet [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/wading-birds/avocet [last accessed 28/10/2021]

The Wildlife Trusts (2021). Peregrine Falcon [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/birds-prey/peregrine-falcon [last accessed 28/10/2021].

Climate Glossary