THOUSANDS of climate activists marched through Glasgow today as Extinction Rebellion demonstrated against greenwashing.

Campaigners accused Cop26 sponsors of covering up their destructive habits with the PR trick while corrupting climate negotiations and endangering the Earth.

Led by samba drummers and dressed in green, the demonstrators marched from the Buchanan Gallery, stopping traffic on several streets.

Some activists staged a sit-down protest outside the Waterloo Street offices of energy giant SSE.

Attending the march, Extinction Rebellion activist Helen Smith, from Glasgow, said: “I’m so tired of the number of companies profiting from a disingenuous perception of themselves as ‘ethical’ or ‘green’ when the reality is totally the opposite. 

“It makes us all sceptical of genuine green claims at a time when this action is more important than ever. 

“I’m marching to take a stand against all companies harming the planet while offering inexcusably skewed perceptions of themselves for the benefit of their own brand image. 

“And to call to our government to improve regulation to make misguiding the public illegal.”

Cop26 sponsors include Google and the National Grid, both of which, campaigners say, claim to be responding to climate change while continuing to pollute. 

Google says that it achieved carbon neutrality in 2007 but has emitted 20 million tonnes of carbon since then, Extinction Rebellion said, the equivalent of 10 million cars driving for a year on petrol.

The National Grid claims to be aiming for net zero by 2050, but its oil and gas facilities spewed out greenhouse gas emissions in the run-up the summit, campaigners said.

The protesters stood in solidarity with countries in the global South and called out greenwashers for contributing to their suffering.

Speaking at the march, Rob Callander of climate justice group Jubilee for Climate said: “One day soon, all the blah-blah-blahs of greenwash will be used as evidence against those who knew the suffering climate change was causing — and would cause — and still used their creativity to prevent action. 

“There is no place for corporations, governments or individuals who behave in this way. Exposing their lies is just the beginning. Justice demands that we use their wealth and assets to repair the damage they have done.”