COP26 latest: Greta Thunberg slams summit as 'failure' at Fridays for Future March

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COP26 is a "failure," youth activist Greta Thunberg told a crowd of protesters in Glasgow on Friday.

It has turned into a "PR event to fight for the status quo," said Thunberg, comparing it to a "global north greenwash festival."

Today is Youth and Public Empowerment Day at COP26. After world leaders, financiers and energy experts have had their say, the UN climate conference turned its focus to young people and marginalised communities.

All eyes were on the Fridays for Future March as thousands of young activists took to the streets in Glasgow "to hold world leaders accountable and be as loud as possible about climate justice," organisers have said.

"What do we want? Climate justice! When do we want it? Now!" young protesters chanted. 

The protesters were carrying banners with slogans such as "I have to clear up my mess, why don’t you clear up yours?" and "Stop climate crimes."

In case you weren't able to follow along on Thursday, here are 5 takeaways from COP26's Energy Day.

Here is what you need to know as Day 5 gets underway:

• While thousands of young protesters were taking to the streets of Glasgow to demand "climate justice", youth voices were also being heard inside the summit venue, according to a statement by the COP26 presidency.

"Views of over 40,000 young climate leaders (were) presented to ministers, negotiators and officials," the statement read. 

• The world's richest "appear to have a free pass to pollute," Oxfam charity said in a new study. It found that the richest 1% will emit 30 times more carbon dioxide than the amount deemed compatible with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C.

• On Thursday, two studies said COP26 commitments could limit global warming to 1.8 or 1.9C. But critics warned these projections were extremely optimistic. Some argued it was still early to put too much faith in Glasgow pledges.

Follow our live updates here:

11.05.2021

17:22

'COP26 is a failure', Thunberg tells Fridays for Future protesters

COP26 is a "failure," youth activist Greta Thunberg told a crowd of protesters in Glasgow.

It has turned into a "PR event to fight for the status quo," said Thunberg, comparing it to a "global north greenwash festival."

"Governments of the global north are refusing to take any real action."

"Are we fighting to save ourselves and the living planet, or are we fighting to save business as usual?" she asked. 

Speaking about world leaders, she said, "history will judge them poorly and we will not accept it."

11.05.2021

17:11

Activist Vanessa Nakate speaks at youth for climate summit 

Vanessa Nakate spoke out as the second last speaker on the youth stage. “We are in a crisis, we are in a disaster that is happening every day. Floods are ravaging different parts of Kampala, different parts of Uganda and across the African continent,” she said.

“Historically, Africa is responsible for 3% of global emissions. But Africans are suffering. While the African continent is on the frontlines of the climate crisis, they are not on the front pages of the world's newspapers.”

Inspiring hope to the audience in front of her, she then painted a picture of what the future should look like.

“But the dry land can be glad again, the farms can blossom again, the animals can be joyous because there is water to drink.

The pain and suffering is gone, there is a celebration of the people because the disasters are gone.”

“We won't have to fight for limited resources because there will be enough for everyone. There is food to eat and water to drink. Children can go to school with no fear of dropping out. 

“Once flooded places will dry and bloom again. The power of the people will finally come, the world is green again.”

She concluded, “let us keep the faith for the future,” adding that there are three things that will stay with us from now on.

11.05.2021

16:02

COP26 officials hear views of over 40,000 young climate leaders: UK presidency

While thousands of young protesters were taking to the streets of Glasgow to demand "climate justice", youth voices were also being heard inside the summit venue, according to a statement by the COP26  presidency. 

"Views of over 40,000 young climate leaders (were) presented to ministers, negotiators and officials," the statement read. 

"COP President Alok Sharma urges ministers to consider youth priorities in COP negotiations and national climate action," it went on. 

The presidency also announced an initiative by 23 countries to  "make national climate education pledges including net-zero schools and putting climate at the heart of national curriculums."

11.05.2021

15:48

'Words don't mean enough unless they are implemented', US envoy Kerry says 

Speaking on Friday, United States climate envoy John Kerry said there is a "greater sense of urgency" and "focus" at the COP26 in Glasgow and that he has never counted "as many initiatives and as much real money being put on the table."

"We are striving to make certain that this is a strong statement and implementable, that is the key."

"Words don't mean enough unless they are implemented. And all of us have seen years of frustration for promises that are made and not kept," he added.

With AFP

11.05.2021

15:41

Youth voices at Fridays for Future March

British activist Mikaela Loach was close to tears, saying how her heart breaks as “sea levels rising engulf my ancestral home in Jamaica”. 

“We must abolish capitalism, we must demand black liberation, we must demand total liberation for all of us because that is climate justice,” she said.

11.05.2021

15:33

READ:  We're changing how we decide which stories to report on Travel

Our Managing Editor brings you an announcement following a declaration announced at COP26 yesterday.

11.05.2021

15:31

'Much remains to be done, much has been achieved already': Al Gore 

Former US Vice President Al Gore said that halfway through COP26, "much remains to be done" but "much has been achieved already, some of it in the form of pledges."

Part of our job, he added, is to ensure that these pledges are fulfilled. 

"We must not declare victory," he insisted. 

He said that while political will was missing, it was in itself "a renewable resource"

Gore was speaking at a UN event intended to take stock of the achievements of the summit so far. 

11.05.2021

15:02

Watch live: What has COP26 achieved so far? 

The UN is hosting an event this afternoon on what has been achieved at COP26 and what that means for its goal of keeping 1.5C within reach.

Participants include COP26 President Alok Sharma, Vice President Al Gore, and the UN High-Level Climate Champions, Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Munoz.

11.05.2021

14:56

Youth voices at Fridays for Future March in Glasgow 

"We are here as civil society to send them a message that ‘enough is enough,’" said Valentina Ruas, an 18-year-old student from Brazil, as she marched through the streets of Glasgow on Friday. 

Brianna Fruean, a 23-year-old activist from Samoa, a low-lying Pacific island nation that is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and cyclones, said: “My biggest fear is losing my country.”

“I’ve seen the floods go into our homes, and I’ve scooped out the mud,” she said.

Fruean was given the stage at the beginning of the conference, known as COP26, where she told leaders about the effects of climate change already being felt in her country.

“I feel like I’m being seen,” she said. “I will know if I’ve been heard by the end of COP.”

With AP

11.05.2021

14:51

Are young people and marginalised communities given sufficient space in global climate talks?