In the last verse of her poem ‘What the Clyde said, After COP 26’, Scotland’s National Poet Kathleen Jamie, sent a warning to global leaders:
I heard the beautiful promises…
and, sure, I’m a river,
but I can take a side.
From this day, I’d rather keep afloat,
like wee folded paper boats,
the hopes of the young folk
chanting at my bank,
fear in their spring-bright eyes
so hear this:
fail them, and I will rise.
Read the full poem here.
Since COP 26, few commitments have translated into meaningful action. There were more oil lobbyists at COP26 than delegates from any other single nation. COP 28 was held in Dubai, at the heart of the oil economy.
Oil producers reap yearly profits in the tens of billions, but the loss and damage fund agreed at COP28 was only $700 million.
The climate and ecological emergency accelerates faster and more fiercely than scientists predicted. Global leaders are failing to secure a liveable planet. Nature is on the brink.
The humble wee paperboat is a symbol for the current fragile nature of our climate hopes. It is also our campaign tool. We have already sent over a thousand paperboats to Scotland’s MSPs carrying the climate hopes of the Scottish people. When a politician receives a paperboat, they will know why. Our goal is to send flotillas of paperboats to all UK politicians, asking them to take bold and urgent action for climate and nature.
Our message to them is this: Climate Hope or Lose Yer Vote
Paperboats was formed by a collective of nature writers with a loose connection to Stirling University. We first came together in February 2023 to share our concerns about the nature and climate emergency.
We launched at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August 2023, and from small beginnings, we are evolving into a movement.
We are unfunded and run by volunteers. If you have time and/or skills to donate, please say hello@paperboats.org
