This article has been provided by PEDAL Porty as part of our series of articles to be published around COP26, the UN conference on climate change which is being held in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021.
The Edinburgh Reporter posed a simple question to several individuals and organisations in the city: What are you doing to address climate change?
With all the world looking at Glasgow during COP26, and in the face of climate emergency, it is clear that the time to do something about climate change, no matter how small, is now.
“PEDAL was formed over ten years ago having recognised that we couldn’t continue to use fossil fuels to meet our energy needs. As Portobello Transition Town we promoted several initiatives such as localism of food supply with various projects including holding a monthly local market in Brighton Park and creating the Donkeyfield Community Orchard.
“Unfortunately, after much community effort, our major energy project, an urban wind turbine that would have generated power and income for the local community, was thwarted by faceless commercial concerns.
“Over the years we have realised that whilst these small, local steps can collectively contribute to the climate emergency, we are now at such a perilous position that only huge interventions by governments at international level are capable of reducing the effects of man-made climate changes.“
