COP26: Bristol group takes environmental diversity message to summit

A community project which aims to increase diversity in environmental decision-making has taken its message to the COP26 climate change summit.

Olivia Sweeney and Roy Kareem, of Bristol-based Black and Green Ambassadors, spoke about making the environmental movement more inclusive.

They said it felt like recognition of the group's work to speak at the event.

"I think they recognised that we are doing something special and unusual," said Mr Kareem.

Black and Green Ambassadors was launched after Bristol won the European Green Capital award in 2015, and aims to ensure the talk around climate and the environment is accessible and representative of all communities.

After a few fallow years when funding was unavailable, the group was relaunched last year and is now looking to expand and become self-sustainable.

Ms Sweeney, 27, said their work was about addressing inequalities and ensuring diverse action for the environment.

"At COP we were talking about climate justice and getting marginalised people involved in decision making and system change around the world. Creating a new world and the need to be more equitable.

"We want to create a network so it's not just a few voices," she said.

As part of her work, Ms Sweeney has launched a clean air project, saying that air quality issues in Bristol impact BAME people disproportionately.

"There needs to be a commitment to accountability and not just targets without action plans," she added.

Mr Kareem spent time as a primary school teacher before becoming a director for Bright Green Future, an environmental training programme for teenagers.

The 43-year-old specialises in urban green spaces and the connection that nature has on wellbeing and health.

He told the audience at COP26 that the Black and Green Ambassadors have helped shine a light on the links between local actions and global issues.

"We want to keep expanding to become a network of people and take the message to a wider audience.

"We are now getting into certain rooms and stages that we weren't before," he said.

Mr Kareem said it was heartening to meet people from across the globe who were interested in replicating Black and Green's work in their own communities.

"We were on one of the larger stages and when you wandered out there were lots of other stages and into Glasgow there were lots of other venues, so to get that position, I think they recognised that we are doing something special and unusual.

"I genuinely think it is a good level of recognition for a small group from Bristol to be invited to speak at COP," he added.

Despite enjoying the opportunity to speak, they were both sceptical about if COP26 would be looked back on as a success.

"This years COP feels much more mainstream than it was, but I don't think it's a vehicle for change that includes justice," said Ms Sweeney.

Mr Kareem added that targets were "nowhere near ambitious enough".

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