JOIN DONATE Club News Community COVID-19 Disaster relief PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT Events Fighting Disease Growing Local Economies International News People of Action Polio Promoting Peace Providing Clean Water Rotary News Rotary Showcase Saving Mothers and Children Supporting Education togetherTalks Uncategorised Volunteer Expo Young people Why it is important that Rotary is at COP26 A delegation from Rotary is attending the United Nations Climate Change talks in Glasgow, and they will be joined this week by Rotary International President, Shekhar Mehta. Kirsten Weber, the co-chair of the Rotary environmental action group, ESRAG, explains why it is important Rotary is there. By Kirsten Weber Published Date: November 8, 2021 A t COP26, Rotary will use its position in the community to bring pressure to bear within their local area on businesses and commercial organisations to encourage and support them in adopting more environmentally friendly energy use, manufacturing processes, waste management and minimalization, as well as packaging arrangements. Since Rotary International announced the new areas of focus on supporting the environment a year ago, I believe this is a great opportunity to encourage both Rotary Districts and clubs to engage the green initiative within environment-friendly projects. It is an opportunity to let the COP26 participants know about Rotary’s new areas of focus. Considering every club is focusing on environmental projects, it will be one of the best invitations to the COP26 participants to combat the climate crisis together. It is important Rotarians build consensus on an action plan for a sustainable society, to tell good stories about the achievements which Rotary achieved before COVID-19, and the plans for the future. The message to the delegates of COP26 should be “We are here and we are everywhere, we can make a significant difference, so use us”. Rotary needs to highlight its direct links to vulnerable people and communities and our message must emphasize the high levels of need we can see and the requirement for more action. If every Rotarian starts taking action with small steps, we can encourage others to join in with their small steps and make the journey together, therefore, enabling the actions to grow into larger ones from which everyone will benefit. We need to act together across the world – and Rotary can do this Rotary believes we should all be involved in taking positive action against climate change. We are here to help and promote Environmental Sustainability and to work with communities to deliver environmental projects that benefit everybody. I am the Co-Chair of the ESRAG Plant-Rich Diet Taskforce. I would like for Rotary to urge the world to shift to plant-rich diets today as the most powerful step an individual can take starting right now to save the planet. There is no question that time is running out in saving the world from Climate Change and Rotary should be a leader in giving the message out to everyone.” There is no question that time is running out in saving the world from Climate Change and Rotary should be a leader in giving the message out to everyone. All of us can do something towards the protection of our environment and we have to do it immediately in our everyday lives and at the same time, we have to ensure that the Governments around the world are doing their part in this fight to save our planet. The message is simply: we care for the environment, and we have to do our part. Rotary is in a unique position in that its members form an extensive network of 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and is ideally placed to realise climate action on the ground within the communities. No other organisation in the world has such a network of dedicated individuals. The message to the delegates of COP26 should be “We are here, and we are everywhere, we can make a significant difference, so use us”. TAGS: Protecting the EnvironmentRotary International Recommended Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta speaks at COP26 PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT Rotary recycling programme celebrates 10 years of success PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT Rotary Resources Discover Volunteer Expo Latest Rotary Magazine Contact us Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland Kinwarton Road, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 6PB Privacy policy | Terms & conditions © 2016-2021 Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland