Thousands of runners are preparing to run a stage of a record-breaking non-stop relay to successfully deliver a baton, containing a climate message, to the world leaders, urging for more support in tackling the climate crisis in the communities where they live. There’s still time to support or join them!
The relay called, Running Out of Time, is set to start this Friday, 30th September from Glasgow, Scotland where COP26 was hosted to COP27 Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Glasgow City Council will host an opening ceremony where the climate message will be sealed in the iconic spiral designed baton which represents the four layers of climate action – international, national, local, and individual.
Runners, cyclists and even sailors will cover 7,767km carrying the baton through 18 countries starting in Scotland and making its way through Wales and England before crossing the channel to France where its journey will continue all the way to Sharm El-Sheikh on the 5th November.
Running Out of Time is a partnership between The World Relay Ltd and partners who include our friends at Carbon Copy, a national charity inspiring big-thinking local action to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Ric Casale, Co-Founder of Carbon Copy, has some impressive experience with unusual journeys to COP – last year he was part of a group who walked there from London to highlight community climate action. Ric says “The relay is so symbolic of the ambition and collaboration we wish to see at COP27, and that we already see in the people working together locally to address the biodiversity and climate crises. This relay will also be a common thread that links thousands of inspiring climate action stories, showcasing leadership at all levels and encouraging more people to join in by doing something similar. Collective local climate action is having an impact globally, and we look forward to taking these stories to COP27 and sharing them with governments from around the world.”
You’ll be pleased to hear that it’s not too late to get involved! Here are three ways:
- Join the 3266 people already taking part and find your local stage. Our closest one takes place on October 6th and goes from Cardiff Uni. Sign up to this stage here or find your closest stage here. If you can’t run or bike the stage yourself you could always go and cheer the runners on!
- Read the message that the runners will carry and add your name to it here.
- Add your community project to Carbon Copy or explore other projects to find inspiration for local climate action.
We want to wish all the runners, cyclists and sailors the best of luck and say a massive well done to the organisers for highlighting climate action, from Glasgow to Sharm El Sheik!
