An Otago woman is going barefoot for the duration of the United Nations climate conference as a sign of solidarity with those less protected from climate change.
Photo: Pixabay
COP26 kicks off in Glasgow tonight (NZ time) and runs until 12 November.
Port Chalmers resident Nicola Chapman said leaders needed to make meaningful changes to limit and reduce the impact of climate change.
"For a lot people, there are no choices. They are having to walk barefoot off their land so I'm just trying to acknowledge solidarity and with other species too," Chapman said.
"This is a global problem. Climate change doesn't know boundaries, just like Covid doesn't."
She wanted to see countries and individuals work together to tackle climate change.
"This is reclaiming my footprint as more than a carbon one," she said.
"It is acknowledging my physical connection, and total reliance upon the earth. It is a small sign of solidarity with those who are less protected from climate chaos than I am."
Chapman urged others to support her by also going barefoot or taking other meaningful action.
"When you have children, when you love this beautiful earth, and while you still breathe, you cannot afford despair. I feel like we are all sheltering from the Covid storm, while on the horizon a tsunami approaches."
Dunedin is set to drop into single digits a few times over the coming days.