The climate crisis has a huge impact on children’s right to play and their future. Children across the world repeatedly demonstrate their determination, resourcefulness and creativity in finding opportunities for play, however many of them face significant barriers to do with the environment and the climate crisis.
Detrimental environmental changes are already affecting the overall safety of outdoor play for children. From an increase in adverse asthma symptoms to aggravated reactions from increases in heat for children with sickle cell disease, children’s access to play and a healthy quality of life are faltering.
To properly tackle the climate crisis and to realise the child’s right to play to must listen to children and young people and act on what they say.
Moths to a Flame
Play Scotland was delighted to partner with Art & Energy to create a mass participatory art installation for COP26. The exhibition is made up of 15,000 moths made from recycled plastic bottles. The installation is accompanied by a soundscape of poetry, spoken word, calls to action and hope and dreams for the future recorded by children and adults across the UK.
To create the moths and record the messages, Play Scotland organised workshops with groups of children and young people. Additionally we funded a moth box for the Children’s Wood and created and promoted a pack for teachers to run the workshop with their students.
The exhibition will be open and free to the public at Glasgow Botanic Gardens every day of COP26 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm – last admission will be at 3:30pm. Alternatively, you can watch a live stream of the exhibition for 15 minutes each day at 12:30pm. Find out more here.
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