Photo highlights from the first week of COP26

Photo highlights from the first week of COP26

Climate takeover — Photographer Ben Millar Cole has been on the streets of Glasgow this week capturing the colourful and diverse protests taking place around the UN conference.

Five days into the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26), and so far, thousands of activists have taken to the streets of Glasgow to ensure their voices are heard in the fight to stop devastating, irreversible climate change. At points, walking around the centre of the city has been an exercise in alternating from one action into a march, back into another action. It’s exciting, frenetic and hectic.  

It is the same story wherever the leaders of the world meet. Many of those on the streets will tell you that that’s where the real change happens. Despite being met with heavy-handed policing, climate protestors aren’t letting up the fight. Actions have been colourful, moving and diverse, from an ‘oil spilling’ action organised by Extinction Rebellion, to a march and fire-lighting ceremony conducted by Minga Indigenia activists, who implored world leaders to deliver on Indigenous demands at COP. 

Photographer and Glasgow-resident Ben Cole has been on hand to capture the action as it unfolds on the streets. 

Follow Ben Cole on Instagram.

COP26 takes place between 31 October – 12 November 2021. Keep an eye on Huck’s live coverage of COP on our Twitter and Instagram, and read more about our climate takeover here