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‘Climate Train’ to offer green travel option for COP26 delegates

By Lorna Sharpe                   Published Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Rail and sustainability groups are joining forces to run a special ‘Climate Train’ for European delegates to the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow, which begins on November 1 this year.

During their journey, the passengers will be invited to take part in a series of debates and seminars to draw attention to the important role that rail and sustainable travel can play in achieving the global ‘Climate Change Goals’.

While in Glasgow, they will also be able to see examples of the rail industry’s efforts to build even greener trains, including two running on hydrogen.

The Climate Train initiative is a partnership between ProRail; Eurostar; NS; Avanti West Coast, and Youth for Sustainable Travel. Its aim is to bring together a diverse group from all over Europe, including young people; official delegations; mobility experts; NGOs, and representatives of the railway sector.

A Eurostar service will start from Amsterdam Central on October 30 travelling via Rotterdam and Brussels to London St. Pancras International. From there, passengers will transfer the short distance to London Euston to continue their journey on an Avanti West Coast service to Glasgow Central.

Frans Timmermans, vice-president of the European Commission, intends to be on board and says the train sets a good example of sustainable transport...

Sinking House is a message of warning, and hope, to communities across the world – including leaders gathering at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) – to address the issues, reach for lifelines and act now against the intensifying threat of climate change.
(https://media.stridetreglown.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/25152326/Sinking-House_LowRES_6.jpg)
Sinking House is led by Stride Treglown and Format Engineers, with artist Anna Gillespie and Fifield Moss Carpentry.

We have worked with local tradespeople to help build the sculpture to minimise transport emissions and keep the installation as sustainable as possible.

It has taken an entire community of local people and organisations to make happen. Special thanks goes to Bath and North East Somerset Council, The Environment Agency, City of Bath Sea Cadets, Greenman Environmental Management, Bridge Coffee Shop, Sydenhams, Kellaway Building Supplies, Minuteman Press, RIBA, Wessex Water, Architecture Is.

This is allegedly about COP26 - or is it local news, worth a subject title about big toys for your Bath? From Stride Teglown (https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/sinking-house/):

This is allegedly about COP26 - or is it local news, worth a subject title about big toys for your Bath?

I would classify this as an extreme form of fly tipping.

Are either of the above trains to run and carry passengers ? Or are they just static exhibits.

I would classify this as an extreme form of fly tipping.

It would have been much worse had disruption been the fault of the railway, such as broken trains, staff shortage, major signaling failure or other "own goals"

Once again staff shortages, if they are due to Covid, and any knock on effects on these other things are not railway industry own goals they are the result of government policy on covid.   

Agree, unfortunate timing. Could be worse though, at least this delay is not directly* the fault of the railway. Multiple fallen trees and other weather related disruption are arguably caused, at least in part, by global warming. An increase in such events may be expected.
Whilst the main purpose of COP 26 is to reduce global warming, I would expect some discussion about mitigating the consequences of global warming, including making transport infrastructure more resistant to increasingly extreme weather. The  fatal accident at Stonehaven was weather related, and last nights accident at Salisbury may well be weather related.

It would have been much worse had disruption been the fault of the railway, such as broken trains, staff shortage, major signaling failure or other "own goals"

*There MIGHT of course be some blame attached to "the railway" For example by failing to promptly remove trees liable to fall, or failure to recover promptly from incidents.