The science is clear. The world is in a state of climate emergency, and we need to shift into emergency gear. Scientists have compared 2023’s climate-change fallout to “a disaster movie” - soaring temperatures, fierce wildfires, powerful storms and devastating floods — and new data is just revealing just how exceptional the global heat has been.
Just last month Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to world leaders to take action on climate threats and to ensure a just and equitable transition to renewable energy reminding his listeners that the planet is heading for a scorching 3°C increase in global temperatures. In the words of the UN Secretary-General - “As we continue our addiction to fossil fuels we make a mockery of any notion of peace with nature”.
On the day (February 8th, 2024) when the world has breached 1.5 degrees of warming for a full year for the first time ever, Labour has decided to drop its £28bn green pledge. In addition Labour officials confirmed they would not spend the full £6bn they previously promised for home insulation until later in the parliament, and perhaps reject it altogether if it were to result in rising levels of government debt. To quote the campaigning organisation 350.org:
As if this were not enough, yesterday River Action took the government to court for allowing allowing poultry waste from 25 million chickens intensively farmed in the catchment to poison the Wye. Charles Watson, founder of River Action summarise their concerns: "Industrial waste is being dumped into nature and it has been done at such a level that it is now causing an ecological disaster. It has got to stop."
As the General Election approaches later in the year, environment and crime are currently being seen as prominent issues and we will all have a chance to question potential members of parliament on these important subjects as well as the precarious state of our NHS, Brexit education, immigration and more.
In the run up to COP26 (October 2021) Swedish activist Great Thunberg attacked global leaders over their promises to address the climate emergency, dismissing them as “blah, blah, blah”. “Let’s face it” says veteran campaigner George Mombiot, “Climate summits are broken; delegates at climate conferences talk and talk ad lib, while Earth systems slide towards deadly tipping points”. Worse still, those concerned enough to challenge the authorities including clergymen are being prosecuted for making their views known in public in peaceful protests and hundreds of individuals have been issued with Civil injunctions A breach could mean imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. (For more disturbing details see former FOE Director and UK Government Advisor Jonathon Porritt’s blog: ‘Crushing dissent’ .
” large-scale green investment just makes sense. It would bring down energy bills, fight the climate crisis, create green jobs and benefit the economy. On top of that, we know where the money could come from. Companies like BP and Shell caused the climate crisis, and in the last two years they’ve made a combined £87 billions in profit. How about we tax them properly to pay for our transition to just, green, cheaper energy for all? ”
As if this were not enough, yesterday River Action took the government to court for allowing allowing poultry waste from 25 million chickens intensively farmed in the catchment to poison the Wye. Charles Watson, founder of River Action summarise their concerns: "Industrial waste is being dumped into nature and it has been done at such a level that it is now causing an ecological disaster. It has got to stop."
As the General Election approaches later in the year, environment and crime are currently being seen as prominent issues and we will all have a chance to question potential members of parliament on these important subjects as well as the precarious state of our NHS, Brexit education, immigration and more.
In the run up to COP26 (October 2021) Swedish activist Great Thunberg attacked global leaders over their promises to address the climate emergency, dismissing them as “blah, blah, blah”. “Let’s face it” says veteran campaigner George Mombiot, “Climate summits are broken; delegates at climate conferences talk and talk ad lib, while Earth systems slide towards deadly tipping points”. Worse still, those concerned enough to challenge the authorities including clergymen are being prosecuted for making their views known in public in peaceful protests and hundreds of individuals have been issued with Civil injunctions A breach could mean imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. (For more disturbing details see former FOE Director and UK Government Advisor Jonathon Porritt’s blog: ‘Crushing dissent’ .
Clearly if talk could ‘save the planet’ we could all stop worrying and get on with our lives. So why a revival of this blog? It won't be long before politicians are explaining thier concerns to potential voters and with the climate and nature crisis worsening day by day, we need to quiz the candidates on their position on these urgent issues. It's no longer acceptable to say " But I always vote for this or that party". The world is changing fast and not for the better.
Please make your vote count for climate and nature.
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