Community-Led Action Against Climate Change
On the European Day of Sustainable Communities 2021, communities in Govanhill and across Glasgow, celebrated with a wide range of community events. SCCAN encourages communities to pioneer their way towards a more sustainable world and to respond creatively to the climate crisis.
Photographed by Robin Mitchell
By Reem Elsapagh, Scottish Communities Climate Action Network
In September, organisations around Europe celebrated Ecolise’s Annual European Day of Sustainable Communities (EDSC) to celebrate the vital work achieved by communities.
Ecolise is a Europe-wide network that focuses on community-led action against climate change on the path towards a more sustainable world. The 2021 EDSC is the fifth to take place and, amid a pandemic, it was more important than ever to celebrate the amazing community work that has taken place.
Here’s a look at how communities around Glasgow celebrated EDSC 2021:
GAMIS Community Market
GAMIS hosted the first Govanhill Community Market led by G42 Pop-Ups in partnership with Govanhill Baths Community Trust. The project aims to strengthen connections between diverse communities of Govanhill, support the local economy, and activate underused parts of the neighbourhood.
The market had a focus on sustainability in its wider sense, focusing on the social, environmental, and economic impact, with this event linking to the Scotland Sustainability Summit, Climate Fringe Week, Glasgow Open Doors Days and Harvest Festival that also took place in September.
All market holders were locally-based and included: locally produced organic vegetables grown from Tenement Veg and Glasgow Community Food Network; traditional Roma food from Milk Café and Romano Lav; magazines from Greater Govanhill; pizza from Flower Bakery and Madame Solei; pastries from Chib Bakery, handmade candles from Flutter Studio and other local organisations!
In addition to the market, there were many free events and activities such as a family ceramics workshop, Roma dance demonstration and workshop led by Sonia from Romane Cierhenia, a performance by Govanhill Voices community choir, music by local ensemble FIRKA, and Climate Frisk which is an interactive workshop to help develop an understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change.
Glasgow Bike Ride with Food and Climate Action
Food and Climate Action along with Bike for Good and Glasgow Allotments Forum ran a bike tour to three allotment sites on the Southside of Glasgow. The group visited Queen's Park allotments, South West Allotments and New Victoria Gardens. Members at each site gave fascinating tours and participants were able to see the diversity of allotments and find out more about the history, biodiversity and community engagement of allotment sites.
The Pyramid at Anderston’s Community Fun Festival
The Pyramid at Anderston is a community-owned space for the people of Anderston, Finnieston, Kelvingrove, Yorkhill and Glasgow. 631 people attended The Pyramid at Anderston’s Community Fun Festival and took part in a wide range of activities and workshops.
This included: wildflower seed weaving, making community artwork with Jim Parkyn; sharing their wants and wishes for the community; modelling, smoothie bike, street dance, circus skills and hula hooping, as well as Glasgow Science Centre climate challenge exhibition models, zine-making with Glasgow Zine Library, drawing with Mind and Draw, magic, children’s author Kjartan Poskitt and more – all accompanied by live music and plant-based snacks!
Commuities for Future
This year’s EDSC gave communities the opportunity to celebrate and highlight their achievements in community-led action against climate change. However, it is also an opportunity to kickstart more projects and inspire others to join the journey towards a more sustainable world.
The Communities for Future project, led by Ecolise, is an online Europe-wide network designed to help communities take action in their own way. It encourages communities to pioneer their way towards a more sustainable world and to respond creatively to the climate crisis. Creating a post-carbon future means we must celebrate and indulge in the diversity of local culture. Communities for Future provides a platform for communities to share their stories and inspire each other. We must all work together to achieve a happy, just and sustainable world.