Glasgow Science Centre pop-up event aims to take up legacy of Cop26 100 days on

Dundard Primary School P5 pupils Isla Szczerkowska, Huxley Quirk, Tyler Dalgleish and Madison Waddell photographed at the Glasgow Science Centre with environmental exhibits and furniture donated by Ikea from Cop26

Glasgow Science Centre (GSC) has announced a new programme to continue important conversations about climate change and the environment 100 days on from Cop26.

The events, part of the Our World, Our Impact (OWOI) campaign, will focus on engaging young people from deprived communities, including a free half-term pop-up in the city’s St Enoch Centre from Saturday 12 February until Wednesday 16.

The event will take over the former Disney store unit on the ground floor with interactive mobile exhibits exploring renewable energies.

Suitable for all ages, families are welcomed to discover how electricity and fuels are created and how to mange energy consumption, with dynamic games and puzzle exhibitions.

The pop-up aims to reach huge numbers of people who wouldn’t usually visit the GSC or have access to climate change education programmes, with half of all visitors in 2021 coming from deprived areas and a third of visitors never having visited before.

Stephen Breslin, CEO of the GSC, said: “Our World, Our Impact aims to narrow the climate change awareness gap by making environmental education accessible for everyone.

“100 days after the start of Cop26, we’re proud to be able to carry the flag forward as advocates for climate change education in Scotland, thanks to support from the Scottish Government.”

Lorna McKenzie from the Glasgow Science Centre with a nuclear ball chain reaction exhibit at the St. Enoch Centre in Glasgow, with colleague Emma Woodham (left) (Pic: Stuart Wallace)

As part of the government’s Let’s Do Net-Zero campaign, Our World, Our Impact was created by GSC in anticipation of Cop26.

Having already engaged over 3 million people with a mixture of digital resources, online and face-to-face events ahead of and during the conference, the Science Centre expect to reach another million Scots with the programme in 2022.

The legacy programming from GSC Learning Labs will offer 5,000 pupils from the most deprived and remote areas in Scotland access to online learning programmes facilitated by GSC staff and includes a free visit to explore the exhibitions at the Science Centre.

In addition, 14,000 copies of GSC’s community magazine ‘The Spark’ will be distributed in care packages to communities throughout Scotland, reaching those with no digital access, and enabling important conversations around climate.

GSC’s Our World Our Impact project has also benefitted from the repurposing of IKEA furniture used during Cop26, in a project which has seen the conference furniture rehomed to charities supporting sustainability across Glasgow.

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Cop26 coming to Glasgow was a great opportunity to engage everyone in the fight against climate change, including children and young people.

“We all have a role to play in Scotland’s journey to becoming a net zero nation. The work that Glasgow Science Centre is delivering will help keep the spirit of COP alive and support a continued legacy of climate action in the city and beyond.”

Glasgow Science Centre’s St Enoch Centre pop-up is free to enter, Sat Feb 12 – Wed Feb 16, 10am-4pm in the former Disney story unit, on the ground floor.