Honestly, I am really pissed off and so should you be.
On Monday I sat through a technical briefing from the Climate Change Committee explaining in immense detail their report on global warming in the UK and successive governments utterly pathetic response to it.
[Thread]
On Monday I sat through a technical briefing from the Climate Change Committee explaining in immense detail their report on global warming in the UK and successive governments utterly pathetic response to it.
[Thread]
The reason I really angry is that we are, to a certain extent, already quite f***ed.
A lot of warming over the next 30 years is already "baked in". It is inevitable because of the greenhouse gases we've already put into the air.
A lot of warming over the next 30 years is already "baked in". It is inevitable because of the greenhouse gases we've already put into the air.
Even if heating was limited to 2C, an optimistic scenario, the number of risks with annual costs in the billions per year would triple by the 2080s.
But this gets to the crux of why you should be furious with our politicians and those who came before them.
But this gets to the crux of why you should be furious with our politicians and those who came before them.
THEY WERE TOLD!
They were warned.
It wasn't a secret this would happen.
The smartest people in the country they supposedly led have been pointing out that destruction of our only planet was an inevitable result of our behaviour.
They were warned.
It wasn't a secret this would happen.
The smartest people in the country they supposedly led have been pointing out that destruction of our only planet was an inevitable result of our behaviour.
Was their response to deal with this problem?
No!
They instead adopted many policies that made the situation worse.
They actively scorned the problem and expressed "scepticism" that this indisputable evidence was correct.
Don't believe me? Have a read: walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/…
No!
They instead adopted many policies that made the situation worse.
They actively scorned the problem and expressed "scepticism" that this indisputable evidence was correct.
Don't believe me? Have a read: walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/…
Even now, there is total lip service to the issue.
You can't just stick the word "green" in front of "recovery" and think it is anything other than meaningless hot air (pun intended).
You can't just stick the word "green" in front of "recovery" and think it is anything other than meaningless hot air (pun intended).
Even with the current net zero target there is barely a mention of the midscale adaptations that need to be made asap to handle the warming guaranteed until 2050.
Nor is there an acknowledgment that climate change itself will make it harder to achieve that net zero goal.
Nor is there an acknowledgment that climate change itself will make it harder to achieve that net zero goal.
To plant trees you will need to use farm land.
To use farm land and still have food to eat you need to increase farming productivity. This becomes very, very hard when you have regular droughts and heatwaves.
To use farm land and still have food to eat you need to increase farming productivity. This becomes very, very hard when you have regular droughts and heatwaves.
The next 30 years of warming did not have to happen to the extent it will.
It is the product of woeful negligence of decades of politicians who stood for election on the promise they would make our lives better.
It is the product of woeful negligence of decades of politicians who stood for election on the promise they would make our lives better.
We must not accept the heating we are currently facing is an inevitable act of god.
It was caused by the actions of humans and allowed to continue by the complete disinterest of our leaders.
It was caused by the actions of humans and allowed to continue by the complete disinterest of our leaders.
Why are they disinterested?
Well taking hard decisions that save our home won't win votes.
It won't cause a splash on the 6am Radio 4 pips.
It WILL cheese off a lot of wealthy and powerful people whose sweet, sweet dollar help drive political careers.
Well taking hard decisions that save our home won't win votes.
It won't cause a splash on the 6am Radio 4 pips.
It WILL cheese off a lot of wealthy and powerful people whose sweet, sweet dollar help drive political careers.
Don't believe the links are there?
Have a gander at this excellent map by @DeSmogBlog
desmog.com/2019/06/07/bre…
Have a gander at this excellent map by @DeSmogBlog
desmog.com/2019/06/07/bre…
It is this total complicity of many of our leaders in the willful destruction of our home that should piss you off.
They are fiddling (expenses) while the world literally burns.
They are fiddling (expenses) while the world literally burns.
I am sorry for the sweary rant.
I always try and be balanced in analysis and give praise and criticism where due.
But there is no way to look the governance around this issue as anything other than failure.
And given the stakes and warnings - there is simply no excuse.
I always try and be balanced in analysis and give praise and criticism where due.
But there is no way to look the governance around this issue as anything other than failure.
And given the stakes and warnings - there is simply no excuse.
Why just target government and politicians you may ask?
After all, we are all contributing individually to the climate emergency.
A fair question, but it comes down to the ability do do something about it.
After all, we are all contributing individually to the climate emergency.
A fair question, but it comes down to the ability do do something about it.
Yes we all must do our bit.
Whether that be recycling, diet change, the car we drive and the holidays we take.
But there are limits to personal action.
Whether that be recycling, diet change, the car we drive and the holidays we take.
But there are limits to personal action.
In spring last year, with flights down by 95% and car use plummeting, surely we have emitted far less CO2 and other greenhouse gases right?
Alas no. The amount of emissions we are producing has actually gone down by….drum roll...8%.
walesonline.co.uk/news/news-opin…
Alas no. The amount of emissions we are producing has actually gone down by….drum roll...8%.
walesonline.co.uk/news/news-opin…
This crisis needs our governments to follow the science (lol).
It needs our government to recognise the climate crisis for what it is, the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced.
A challenge which makes coronavirus pale by comparison.
It needs our government to recognise the climate crisis for what it is, the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced.
A challenge which makes coronavirus pale by comparison.
And the comparisons between the two are clear.
- The effect the worse of in the world the most.
- By the time it gets going it is infinitely harder to manage.
- Predicted by experts for years.
- Dismissed by our leaders ("I shook hands with everybody in the hospital")
- The effect the worse of in the world the most.
- By the time it gets going it is infinitely harder to manage.
- Predicted by experts for years.
- Dismissed by our leaders ("I shook hands with everybody in the hospital")
Again sorry for the rant. I need to go out in sun for a few hours (I don't miss the irony of that statement.
Full story here:
walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-new…
Full story here:
walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-new…
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