Uniting action on climate and nature through Great Big Green Week

Unity in 2021 can feel like an elusive concept; we love to separate each other out into groups – be it by who we vote for, how old we are, or even which football team we support. There is a lot in modern life that divides us, and often it is only in a moment of crisis that these differences can truly be put aside, and we can be united.

 Well, the crisis has come – and it’s the biggest one we have ever faced. The climate and nature crisis is truly the fight that unites us – because climate change doesn’t care about our differences. It impacts us all no matter who we are, and we can’t tackle it alone. Nature is in freefall, the climate is on the brink, and we are running out of time to protect our planet – the place we all call home.

 This coming week communities up and down the country will be united in the ‘Great Big Green Week’, a nationwide campaign to highlight the need for urgent action to tackle climate change and protect people, nature and planet. Hundreds of thousands of people will be taking part in over 4,500 community events and festivals calling on the UK government to keep all its climate promises ahead of hosting the climate summit later this year.

Tackling the climate and nature emergency is going to need everyone on board if we are to get the change we need to see across society.  That means systemic changes in the corporate sector on everything from greening their investments, driving down emissions, getting deforestation and environmental harm out of their supply chains and playing a leading role in the drive towards net-zero.

For Great Big Green Week, it’s about harnessing the platform and reach that these businesses have to help unite us all in tackling the crisis we face. A huge range of organisations from SMEs to multinational corporates are supporting Great Big Green Week: Virgin O2 has provided funding for youth groups to get involved; BT is lighting up BT Tower during the week while also supporting on social media, and the Co-op is spreading the word about climate action on a range of channels and with their employees, academies, members and customers. 

Both governments and businesses must deliver on their promises. We won’t forget who stepped up when it was needed most. Standing up against the awful effects of climate change is the fight that unites us all.

The Great Big Green Week has been organised by The Climate Coalition, of which WWF is a member. The coalition is the UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change, and members comprise over 100 organisations. Tens of thousands of people have signed up to get involved in thousands of events; over 4,500 events are planned to celebrate how communities are taking action to tackle climate change and nature loss. For more information on Great Big Green Week events go to Great Big Green Week. The Great Big Green Week is Climate Fringe Week in Scotland.