We’re getting closer to Glasgow as our COP26 climate road trip enters its final days.
The team descended on Perth, where residents living alongside the Craigie Burn have seen their homes devastated by floodwaters.
One Queen Street resident even admitted she might have to sell her cherished family home rather than live in fear of more flooding.
She wants to see action at all levels of government on climate change.
What has become clear during our jaunt across Scotland is those living with the consequences of chaotic weather tend to be tuned in to climate issues.
Earlier this week, at Mossmorran, campaigners talked about the concerns of local people – air quality, noise and light pollution.
And in Perth, people were concerned about the safety of their homes.
COP26 delegates may be dealing with decisions at national level, but for most people it’s the issues close to home that matter.
And those living with flooding and pollution have a stake in what happens next week in Glasgow.
What does the changing climate mean for you?
What awaits future generations has been a recurring theme when we’ve stopped people in the street.
Young people we spoke to talked about their anxieties over an uncertain future.
Meanwhile, parents worry about the kind of world their children will be living in.
Many have said they feel unqualified to speak about the big issues being tackled at COP26.
And one man we spoke to in Perth said he was not convinced industrialisation was driving the changing climate.
Are friends electric? Not today
As we approached Perth, with just 40 miles of range left, the sight of shiny charging points in a Tesco car park was the welcome we needed.
But life is never that easy.
The first attempt to plug into a fast charger incurred an unwanted £30 fee despite the van being no more invigorated.
Technology is great, when it works… #climateroadtrip #COP26 pic.twitter.com/CfFjqTwZue
— Aileen Robertson (@C_ARobertson) October 26, 2021
We then tried a free charger next to it, which worked, until we tried to unplug our vehicle.
The van’s charging cable seemed to be permanently fixed to the socket.
It seemed you had to use the mobile app to stop the vehicle charging, but that wasn’t working.
Eventually, the cable just came out. We’re not sure what happened. Maybe we just need to lift more weights.
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the infrastructure is not intuitive. And making it easier to get your vehicle charged would add incentive to switching to an electric vehicle.
