Helen Tandy, Eco Commununities, Director
This weeks Climate Change news has all been doom and gloom. The Guardian reported on the heat waves spreading across Europe (READ ARTICLE) and started the week with stories that both the Conservative and Labour Parties are looking to water down green policies here in the UK. (READ ARTICLE)
World leaders signed an agreement in 2015 to try to limit global heating to 1.5C by the end of the century. Their current policies are set to heat the planet by 2.7C.
The future of the planet 🌎- our home and that of future generations is too import to become a game of political ping pong. We need ALL parties to agree on what needs to be done to protect us. They need to unite on the decisions when it comes to the #climateemergency.
We can’t allow politics to stop us making change to avoid even worse climate change. Having been campaigning for over 20 years I have seen a flip flop of support, this impacts on business innovation and the security of food, energy and the our economy.
I’m very worried yet again we are going down an even worse black hole, to ignore what is obviously going on around us and the world to not retain plans and support new policies would be catastrophic.
What are they thinking !
Then why were more oil and gas fields approved over the last two years. I can remember doing a talk at Chester Cathedral in 2018 saying we can’t afford to take any new oil from the ground to limit warming to 1.5c yet that has been ignored. This is bigger than a general election, yet they politicians are trampling over the issue in the hope of remaining or winning power. I’m more worried now about our future than I have been in the last 20 years. The issues are clear to see but they are met with inaction.
According to The Guardian three large oil and gas fields have been approved since the International Energy Agency warned in May 2021 that no new developments of fossil fuels could be constructed if the world was to limit global temperature increases to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. (READ MORE)
Sorry to bring everyone down to doom and gloom… I decided to spend some time finding some positive news stories around Climate Change but I had to give up…
We need to finish with some hope. I do have hope I promise. We can all do something how ever little to make a difference.
Sign up to Giki via carbon footprint account, why not measure your carbon footprint and commit to making some changes in August. Already signed up, log in and select some new challenges.
Support the Nature 2030 project – Over 70 environmental charities have joined forces to create a 5 point plan. They want to see this reflected in all Party manifestos, to put a stop to nature’s decline.
Support The Climate Coalition campiagn and ask your MP to do the following.
- Champion action on climate and nature: Commit to protect and restore nature and wildlife, and support those most vulnerable to climate impacts globally.
- Free us from oil and gas: Stop approving new oil and gas fields so that we can escape our dependence on volatile fossil fuels.
- Cheap energy: More than triple the amount of renewable energy in the UK by 2030, including wind and solar generated in harmony with nature, so that we can permanently lower bills.
- Help to upgrade homes: Launch a new, properly-funded programme of home upgrades and insulation across the UK to bring down bills and prevent energy waste.
- Emergency support now: Provide a new package of financial support to people on the front-line of poverty.
Sustainable Cheshire 