A date for your diary

Anyone who knows much about birds, knows that many of them spend different parts of the year in different places, often at opposing sides of the world from each other. As the climate chnages, many birds returning to the UK to breed are now finding that they are out of synch with the food they need to bring up their young, as plants bloom earlier and insects start coming out earlier. 

So if you're a birdwatcher, or indeed a naturalist of any type, you really should be concerned about climate change. (There's a good article on the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) blog about the connections between birds and climate change and another on their news pages here.)

And if you're concerned about climate change (whether because of its effects on the natural world or because of the increase in extreme weather events or the increase in sea levels and the resulting increases in displacement of human populations and spread in waterborne diseases) then you should be aware that the
the United Nations will hold a climate summit in Paris in December, where political leaders from across the world are expected to agree to commitments:

* to avoid the worst affects of climate change,
* safeguard wildlife and
* provide money for developing countries to help them adapt.

The weekend before these negotiations, people across the world are taking to the streets to call for politicians at the Paris summit to agree on ambitious commitments to prevent runaway climate change.

Scotland's Climate March, happening in Edinburgh on 28 November (setting off from the Meadows at 12.30), is organised by Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), a coalition of Scottish organisations from many different sectors campaigning together on climate change. You can sign up to the march on Facebook. By attending the march, you will:
 
* stand up for people affected by rising global temperatures
* deomnstrate the level of public concern around climate change and
* demand that world leaders agree an ambitious deal.
 
By reducing carobon emissions we can work towards a low carbon society, which will create green jobs, improve our transport and food systems and protect our wildlife, land, air and water.
 
Scotland needs to show its colours on this issue, so wear your brightest colours and join this weekend of global action. 

You can also join craft workshops to make banners or musical instruments from upycled materials to take along to the march. Find out more here.


(And remember, if you need to travel some distance to your nearest climate march, please reduce your carbon footprint by cycling, using public transport (rail or bus) or car-sharing)