Logo for COP26The United Kingdom will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, UK, from 31 October – 12 November 2021.

IFLA has been working behind the scenes to help make space on the agenda for the voice of libraries to be included. Beyond this, libraries in Glasgow and beyond will be involved in events that educate, inform, and engage users in conversations on climate action.

Check out what is happening below. Find out also how you can plan your own activity or event, and get it on the map – no matter where in the world you are!

IFLA on the Agenda

IFLA’s has been working within the Climate Heritage Network to advocate for greater awareness of the role of culture and cultural institutions in climate action. We are excited to see that this work had led to culture being included on the agenda at COP26.

We will be involved in several events in both the Green-Zone (public) and the Blue-Zone (restricted) at COP26 alongside fellow Climate Heritage Network members.

In these, IFLA will highlight the role of libraries in promoting sustainable practices, enabling cultural heritage and traditional practices to inform and empower positive change, and promoting education, public participation and access to information regarding climate action. Here is a look at IFLA’s engagement at COP26:

IFLA at the Blue-Zone Resilience Hub

2 November, 13:15-14:45 UTC: IFLA will be involved in a special event hosted by Climate Heritage Network held in the Blue-Zone Resilience Hub. More news on this to come! You can join by registering for the Resilience Hub.

Event: “Running the Race to Resilience Together: Communities Tapping Their Shared Cultures and Heritage for Climate Action” (Green-zone)

8 November, 11:30-13:00 UTC: IFLA will participate on a roundtable on using culture and cultural institutions to support inclusive, locally-led resilience action. Libraries can be hubs for this action! Find out more.

Event: “Powering climate action through heritage policies, organisations, research and public programmes” (Blue-zone)

11 November, 16:00-17:00 UTC: Hosted at the COP26 EU Pavilion, IFLA will join fellow cultural organisations and Climate Heritage Network members to speak to our engagement in climate change. We will especially highlight how libraries empower their communities to take climate action. Find out more.

Library Events

Alongside official COP26 events, cultural institutions like museums and libraries across Glasgow and beyond are planning events to bring the conversation to their communities. You can see a full list of events promoting culture at COP on this dedicated webpage: Culture at COP

Preserving Pasts Imagining Futures

The National Library of Scotland, together with National Galleries of Scotland, are inviting users to get involved in a conversation on how Scotland is impacted by climate change. Participants are invited to view paintings, artworks, maps and films in these institutions’ collections and create an artistic response on how climate change impacts them.

Learn more: Preserving Pasts Imagining Futures

Public Libraries Inspiring Action

Public libraries around Scotland are offering community engagement opportunities, such as “Chat & Change” and “Make it Up” sessions focussed on taking community action to build sustainable practices and reduce the effects of climate change.

Plan Your Own!

Perhaps you are inspired by these events or are already planning your own climate-themed event or activity to coincide with COP26.

Libraries around the world are invited to share their events and activities on the Culture at COP website: Culture at COP – Register.

We invite you to think about how you might inform, educate, or involve your community in climate action during COP26 and beyond. You could consider:

  • Curating and sharing a selection of books, e-books, and children’s stories from your collection on topics related to sustainability, the environment, and climate change
  • Compiling educational resources on related topics
  • Hosting a virtual event (live or pre-recorded) such as a webinar, quiz, artistic performance, or story-time
  • Engaging with your community on social media with a post raising awareness on climate action

Don’t forget to join the conversation online using the tag #CultureCOP26.

Whatever you do, share it with IFLA! Contact us: claire.mcguire@ifla.org