How our network united nationwide for the Global Day of Action

Supporters and groups from across the Friends of the Earth network mobilised on Saturday 6 November to make their concerns about climate justice heard. Find out what they did.
  Published:  12 Nov 2021    |      2 minute read
Protesters outside in Belfast City Centre holding a sign up saying 'We demand a strong net-zero climate act for Northern Ireland'
Belfast Friends of the Earth
Credit: Belfast FOE

The Global Day of Action united people from across the world. We saw mass protests and rallies demanding the same common goal: we need global leaders to take the climate crisis seriously and act now.

The purpose of the Global Day of Action is to unite all climate activists and groups around a common goal: to demand governments and corporations limit global temperatures to 1.5°C and deliver real and just solutions to the climate crisis.

Global Day of Action in the UK

A group of climate protesters of different ages and ethnicities standing outside a building with friends of the earth and climate change banners
Birmingham Friends of the Earth
Credit: Friends of the Earth

The Global Day of Action took place during COP26 – the United Nations climate talks. This year, COP26 was based in Glasgow. So, as world leaders and decision makers came together to discuss the climate crisis, our UK based groups came out in force demanding climate justice.

Climate justice is about acknowledging and addressing that some people are hit by the climate crisis harder than others. We’re all entitled to live in a world where we’re fairly protected and considered when faced with the worst impacts of climate change, irrespective of who we are and where we live.

Our network taking centre stage

Up and down the country, over 100 local groups affiliated with Friends of the Earth, together with our supporters, formed part of an estimated 500,000 people who took to the streets.

Not only did our network come out in force to take part in the Global Day of Action, but they also found creative and interesting ways to capture attention. From Norwich to Cardiff, Newcastle to Belfast, our groups showed strength in numbers in their ambitious rallies, protests and stunts. Have a scroll through some of the highlights below.

What next?

We need to continue to make sure our voices are heard loud and clear. In order to stop the worst impacts of the climate crisis, the UK needs to make a serious commitment to drastically reduce emissions and must put an end to new fossil fuel projects, both at home and abroad.

All over the UK, our groups made it heard loud and clear that they want real action on climate change. If you want to be a part of our network and join us in amplifying our message, join a local action group in your local area and be part of the movement.