In the run up to the globe's most important meeting on climate change, the #CIWEMtalksCOP26 series asks thought leaders from the water and environmental industry and beyond to answer a common question: what do you most want COP26 to deliver? Here we'll be serialising their answers.

Kat works for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), managing their work related to COP26, especially in the areas of how we host global civil society to Glasgow and provide what they need in terms of accomodation, facilities and a warm welcome. SCCS are a coalition of over 60 civil society groups from environment NGOs and development organisations, to trade unions, faith groups and community and student groups. Kat has previously worked for RSPB Scotland, with particular focus on RSPB's work with people, including visitor experience, communications and fundraising.

Before that Kat worked for an MSP, and had a decade at Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot), the Scottish government's advisor on landscapes and nature. She has a PhD on the breeding behaviour of the, much-maligned, lesser black-backed gull and is looking forward to getting back to calling for her ceilidh band, as soon as covid allows.

"COP26 needs to listen to the voices of those who are on the front line of the climate crisis, and will be affected most: this means those from Global South countries, indigenous groups, refugees, and young people.

"It is these groups that have done the least to contribute to global heating and yet they are the first to experience the impacts: floods and sea level rise in Fiji and Bangladesh, droughts in sub-Saharan Africa, increasing strength of hurricanes in the Caribbean and Central America and typhoons in Asia.

"We need a climate justice approach as our primary response to the dangerously unequal effects of climate change. It is vital that our actions and policies benefit everyone and especially deal with the crisis situations people are already facing in vulnerable countries. In this COP, loss and damage, the irreversible impacts of climate change, will be one of the key issues.

"Decisions need to be made on how to compensate people and countries who are losing land, livelihoods and infrastructure to climate breakdown. This is not about simply adapting to change, whole communities and even countries like small island states, need to be given safety and a guaranteed future.

"COP26 needs to deliver agreement on how to reduce global emissions immediately and drastically while also dealing with the enduring inequalities between nations which affect their ability to deal with the effects of climate breakdown."

Connect with Kat

Kat Jones is COP26 Project Manager for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS).