The north star

Taking 14,000 voices to COP26

Services

Sectors

Client

The Climate Coalition

Project Name

COP26 Ice Stunt

Credits

Dan Sargent, a man with short curly brown hair and a goatee, smiles whilst standing indoors in a plain white long-sleeved shirt. Flowers and large windows brighten the background.

Rhi Leedam, a woman with long blonde hair, stands smiling indoors in a red-and-white chequered sleeveless dress. Flowers and office decor can be seen in the background.

COP26 Ice Stunt

A heart that could not be ignored

In 2021, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) came to Glasgow. It was a once-in-a-generation moment to influence the world’s climate agenda. The Climate Coalition wanted to take the voices of the UK public to this global stage and make sure their demand for action was seen and heard.

In Wales, the ambition was clear: collect 10,000 pledges from people calling for urgent climate action.

Two people wearing jackets and winter hats work together to move large blocks of ice outdoors on a cloudy day, shaping what appears to be a COP26 Wales ice heart. Trees and bags can be seen in the background as they collaborate.

A person carves a large COP26 Wales ice heart outdoors while another films the process, with trees in autumn foliage and overcast skies in the background.

A person stands beside the COP26 Wales ice heart—a large ice sculpture shaped like a heart, glowing with pink and purple lights and containing a fiery flame inside, set against a twilight sky.

Two people pose in front of the COP26 Wales ice heart sculpture, shaped like a broken heart, at dusk. Another person films them with a camera as city lights twinkle in the background.

A glowing green heart-shaped light installation, reminiscent of the COP26 Wales ice heart, illuminates a dark path at night, with city buildings and a tall tower with red lights visible in the background.

A movement amplified

The campaign was rooted in digital mobilisation. We developed a microsite where people could add their pledges, as well as a personal message of what they most wanted to protect, from wildlife and landscapes to future generations. It helped them to feel part of something larger while also giving them a sense of ownership.

Alongside this, we delivered a tailored social media pack with ready-to-go content to spread the message nationally.

By the time COP26 began, more than 13,000 had joined.

People stand outdoors at night near a glowing green heart-shaped installation. The BBC headline discusses day eight of the COP26 climate summit, listing updates and upcoming talks by Obama.

A person stands inside a two-metre tall green heart light sculpture at night by the River Clyde, with the COP26 summit venue illuminated in the background. ITV News headline discusses climate action responsibility.

Image of a heart-shaped ice sculpture lit with green light against a dark background. Above, a headline in Spanish about COP26 and the draft agreement to increase climate aid.

A 2-metre ice sculpture glows green at night by the River Clyde in Glasgow, representing climate change protestors during the Cop26 summit. A person stands nearby, partially visible in the light.

A news article screenshot with the headline: “Minister admits Cop26 pledges on course to miss 1.5C goal”. Bullet points summarise key statements from Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Alok Sharma about climate commitments.

A news app screen displays headlines, including Minister admits Cop26 pledges on course to miss 1.5C goal, with a photo of people near a green-lit globe. Other stories and images appear below on climate, US travel, and Boris Johnson.

A glowing green, heart-shaped ice sculpture is displayed outdoors at night, with several people standing nearby, illuminated by the sculpture’s light.

Three people stand outdoors at night near two large, illuminated green Earth-shaped sculptures, with city lights in the background. The scene is moody, referencing climate action and the COP26 conference.

Turning voices into a symbol

We also needed a way of carrying those voices to Glasgow that was impossible to ignore. Inspired by The Climate Coalition’s green heart identity, we designed and built a two metre ice heart sculpture on the banks of the River Clyde, directly across from the COP26 venue.

The heart was constructed in just a few hours on a cold November day, then left to melt as delegates gathered inside the conference halls. Its presence was simple and striking – a symbol of both love for the places we care about and the urgency of the moment. The melting ice reminded leaders that the window for action is shrinking.

The result was a powerful combination of digital and physical action. The ice heart was photographed, shared and broadcast across the world, with coverage on the BBC, ITV, The Guardian and in the international press.

We had a goal of reaching 10,000 voices (pledges) to take to COP26, which we smashed, hitting over 13,000. We’re very happy with the result, and would be more than happy to recommend them. I’m excited to continue working on Climate.Cymru with Everglow as we enter a pivotal year for our country, our Earth and our climate.

Peter Frederick Gilbey Communications Manager, Welsh Centre for International Affairs