The Latest: Workers in Poland protest push to end coal use
The latest on the U.N. climate summit COP26 in Glasgow:
WARSAW, Poland - Trade union members from Poland´s energy sector have protested before the European Union´s office in Warsaw, saying the EU's moves to discourage coal use are responsible for soaring energy prices.
Some 200 power plant and coal mine workers from across Poland blew horns and waved union flags as they chanted. The protest´s motto was "YES for Poland´s Energy Sovereignty. NO to High Energy and Heat Prices."
Trade union leaders say the EU energy policies will harm Poland's economy. The coal industry is a major employer in Poland, which gets more than half of its electricity from black and brown coal.
A government energy policy plan calls for increasing reliance on nuclear energy once the infrastructure is built.
Like other EU member nations, Poland has pledged to phase out coal use and to develop wind, solar and other renewable energy sources. At the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow this week, the government said it would not be able to close all coal-fired plants until 2049, a target that disappointed activists.
Climate activists attend a protest organized by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 which is the host city of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit. The protest was taking place as leaders and activists from around the world were gathering in Scotland's biggest city for the U.N. climate summit, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
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GLASGOW, Scotland - British actor Idris Elba has brought his star power to the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow to highlight the importance of helping small farmers cope with global warming.
Elba and his wife, model Sabrina Dhowre Elba, took the stage Saturday in support of the U.N.´s International Fund for Agricultural Development.
Elba said he wanted to highlight the dangers of global food chains being disrupted as small-scale farmers in particular are hit by the effects of climate change. He said that 80% of the food consumed worldwide is produced by small-scale farmers.
"This conversation around food is something that needs to be really amplified, and one thing I´ve got is a big mouth," Elba said.
Speaking on the same panel, Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate, 24, said global warming is already causing hunger for millions around the world, including in her own country.
She said a shift from meat to plant-based diets could help save millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year while freeing up more land that´s currently used for animal feed.
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GLASGOW, Scotland - Police helicopters buzzed over Glasgow early Saturday as authorities prepared for a second day of protests by climate activists demanding faster action to curb global warming.
Despite a little drizzle and strong winds, tens of thousands of people were expected to join a rally through the Scottish city where this year´s U.N. climate talks are being held.
Inside the conference venue, negotiators knuckled down for a seventh day of talks to finish draft agreements that can be passed to ministers for political approval next week.
Among the issues being haggled over at the talks by almost 200 countries are a fresh commitment to the goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius, getting countries to review their efforts more frequently, and financial support for poor nations.
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Climate activists take part in a protest through the streets of London, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Many people across the world are taking part in protests as the first week of the COP26, UN Climate Summit in Glasgow comes to an end. (AP Photo/David Cliff)
Climate activists hold up banners during a protest organized by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 which is the host city of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit. The protest was taking place as leaders and activists from around the world were gathering in Scotland's biggest city for the U.N. climate summit, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Idris Elba, actor and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Goodwill Ambassador gestures as he speaks at a meeting at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. The U.N. climate summit in Glasgow gathers leaders from around the world, in Scotland's biggest city, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Actor and IFAD Goodwill Ambassador, Idris Elba, President of IFAD Gilbert Houngbo, climate activist Vanessa Nakate, M. Sanjayan, the Chief Executive Officer of Conservation International, IFAD Goodwill Ambassador, Sabrina Elba and Agnes Kalibata, from left, pose for a photo after attending a meeting at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. The U.N. climate summit in Glasgow gathers leaders from around the world, in Scotland's biggest city, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Sabrina Elba, left, and her husband, actor Idris Elba both International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Goodwill Ambassadors attend a meeting at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. The U.N. climate summit in Glasgow gathers leaders from around the world, in Scotland's biggest city, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Members of the energy sector trade unions take part in a protest outside the European Union's office in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. A group of angry trade union leaders of Poland's energy sector protested before the European Union's office in Warsaw on Saturday saying EU anti-coal policy was responsible for the soaring energy prices. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
A climate activist shouts out during a protest organized by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 which is the host city of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit. The protest was taking place as leaders and activists from around the world were gathering in Scotland's biggest city for the U.N. climate summit, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
A woman walks past inflatables that will be used by climate activists during a protest organized by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 which is the host city of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit. The protest was taking place as leaders and activists from around the world were gathering in Scotland's biggest city for the U.N. climate summit, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Crowds gather for the People's Climate March in Copenhagen, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Cities throughout the country will take part in marches to highlight the climate crisis on Saturday. (Olafur Steinar Gestsson/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
Climate activists gather near the Bank of England as they take part in a protest through the streets of London, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Many people across the world are taking part in protests as the first week of the COP26, UN Climate Summit in Glasgow comes to an end. (AP Photo/David Cliff)
Police on electric motorbikes accompany climate activists attending a protest organized by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 which is the host city of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit. The protest was taking place as leaders and activists from around the world were gathering in Scotland's biggest city for the U.N. climate summit, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Police officers patrol near the venue of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. The U.N. climate summit in Glasgow gathers leaders from around the world, in Scotland's biggest city, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A man plays the bagpipes during a protest organized by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 which is the host city of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit. The protest was taking place as leaders and activists from around the world were gathering in Scotland's biggest city for the U.N. climate summit, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Climate activists attend a protest organized by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 which is the host city of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit. The protest was taking place as leaders and activists from around the world were gathering in Scotland's biggest city for the U.N. climate summit, to lay out their vision for addressing the common challenge of global warming. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
