COP26: Environmentalists post pictures of rubbish washed up in River Clyde as summit gets underway

Environmentalists have posted pictures of mounds of rubbish washed down in the River Clyde as thousands of delegates attend climate summit COP26 in Glasgow.

Climate group The Extreme Hangout, which is hosting events targeted at young people throughout the summit, said it was putting the finishing touches to the converted barge where it will be based for the two-week conference, when a “floating island of garbage littered with single use plastic” appeared.

Amber Nuttall, environmentalist and co-creator of ‘The Extreme Hangout at COP26’, said: “Today as I was confronted by the mound of floating plastic outside our event, it really bought home how important our mission at COP26 is.

"Our vision for ‘The Extreme Hangout at COP26’ was fuelled by the realisation that the voices of young people are so often ignored, dismissed or patronised.

The Extreme Hangout captured the pictures of rubbish washed up in Glasgow.

"They are the ones who are going to inherit this planet and will be impacted most by the climate crisis. It is vital that their concerns be heard loud and clear at COP26, their active participation is crucial.”

Sian Sutherland, co-founder of Plastic Planet, who is among a range of speakers at The Extreme Hangout’s Glasgow hub this week, said: “Plastic is our environmental crisis in plain sight. Billions of items are thrown away daily, polluting our planet for centuries.

"Plastic is the canary in the climate crisis coal mine, so it is somehow fitting that our guilty habits have washed up on the shores of the Clyde and The Extreme Hangout at COP26’.

The Extreme Hangout captured the pictures of rubbish washed up in Glasgow.

"Let us make sure plastic is high on the COP agenda to stop this happening.”

An 11th-hour attempt to avert bin strikes amid a row between a union and Glasgow City Council failed on Sunday.

The GMB union told the Glasgow City Council chief executive, Annemarie O’Donnell, that members of the city’s cleansing service will strike for a week from today.

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