BRADFORD residents are calling for action on climate change by world leaders at Cop26 after holding a gathering in the city, while an intrepid grandfather embarks on a solo cycling challenge.
A group of almost 100 people gathered in Bradford's City Park today, calling for action at the climate conference, being held in Glasgow all this week.
They lined up and chanted 'Actions speak, talk is cheap' during the 30-minute-long event.
David Somerville, of Global Justice Bradford, one of the event's organisers, said: "People are talking a lot, but not actually doing enough.
"We are looking to put the agenda forward on these issues, rather than protesting.
"We want things to move forward. We had people from the Bingley Christian Aid group, Extinction Rebellion and ordinary families with babies in prams taking part."
The organisers also highlighted the investment of local pension funds in fossil fuels – oil, gas and coal.
Leeds City Council last month called on one of the region’s biggest pension funds to stop investing in fossil fuels, following a meeting of council decision-makers.
The West Yorkshire Pension Fund, based in Bradford city centre, holds and invests pension monies for all public sector workers in the region’s five local authorities.
The administering authority of the pension fund is Bradford Council.
Councillor Andrew Thornton, Chair of The West Yorkshire Pension Fund, said: “The primary obligation of the Fund is to meet current and future member benefit requirements.
"To achieve this, various categories of investments are used to meet the required return, spread over a large and diversified portfolio to mitigate risks.
"There is a responsibility on the Fund to achieve the best return, to take proper advice, act prudently and reasonably.
"The West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF) recognises the risks of climate change to its investments and the concerns of those arguing for a divestment from fossil fuel companies.
"The fund is committed to achieving a net-zero portfolio for its investments and implementing this commitment with the aim of achieving real economy emissions reductions.
"WYPF is signed-up to the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) Net Zero commitment statement, which includes transitioning its investments to achieve net-zero portfolio emissions by 2050, or sooner.
"WYPF’s investment in renewable energy assets, technology and sustainable infrastructure has increased by 44% in the last two years. Currently it stands at £708m, with a further £262m committed awaiting drawdown. This is far in excess of is holdings in non-renewable energy."
Leeds City Council’s climate emergency advisory committee recently recommended councils intervened to stop the fund investing in companies producing fossil fuels, and moving its current investments in such companies elsewhere (known as divestment).
The organisers of yesterday's Bradford event believe the district needs net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
It follows a walk to Bradford's City Park to highlight the urgency of tackling climate change, which was held in September.
Around 150 people made the journey from Baildon to Bradford, via Shipley, on September 17, while other walkers joined from Allerton.
Samayya's Afzal, of Bradford, said: "The climate crisis is the most urgent call for a radical change in how our society runs.
"We must switch from a carbon-intensive unsustainable economy that invests in fossil fuels and pays bonuses to billionaire owners of polluting companies, to a Green New Deal which reverses climate change, creates green jobs, and benefits everyone."
Meanwhile, a grandfather from Bradford is taking on a solo cycling challenge to attend a mass gathering calling for action on climate change.
Satwant Singh, 72, is getting on his bike from Bradford to Glasgow to attend the gathering in the Scottish city on November 6.
He says it is important for him to for to participate in this event in Glasgow to send a message to leaders gathered to take positive action against global warming and against use of fossil fuel.
He said: "I wanted to cycle from Bradford all the way to Glasgow in three days, however, considering my age and due to shorter days and wintry weather conditions, I have reluctantly planned to take my bike on a train from Bradford to Carlisle early morning today.
"From Carlisle, I will cycle to Moffat a town in Scotland about 45 miles from Carlisle."
On Friday, Mr Singh plans to cycle 65 miles to reach Glasgow before taking part in the mass gathering the following day.
He added: "I want to make a difference and leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren to know that their old man was concerned about ‘Climate Challenge’ and did his part by participating in world changing event being held in our country.
"It is once in a life experience for me at my age to contribute in a small way to take part a movement to prevent global warming and make our planet a better place to live."
Meanwhile, more public money is needed to fund the global fight against climate change but the private sector also needs to step up, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said.
The Chancellor said developed governments are going to meet their six-year-old promise to send 100 billion US dollars (£73bn) to developing countries in 2023, three years behind target.
"While we know we are not yet meeting it soon enough, we will work closely with developing countries to do more and to reach the target soon," he told the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow.
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