Saturday, November 03, 2018
Has the UK Government abandoned the fight against climate change?
I blogged only last month about a report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which warns that global carbon dioxide emissions must almost halve within 12 years to avoid a catastrophic loss of coral reefs and Arctic ice, intense floods and droughts. Unfortunately, not many of the key world economies are taking this issue too seriously.
Of the major economies, Russia, the USA, Brazil and Australia are amongst those whose governments are sceptical about manmade climate change or who are or will be pursuing policies that may make it worse. This is even more concerning of course when one reads that these are four of the five countries who hold 70% of the world's last wildernesses.
To add to this roll-call of dishonour there is the seemingly growing disinterest within the UK Government in doing what is necessary to meet their own obligations in combatting climate change. The Independent highlights this concern by reporting that MPs and the heads of environmental organisations have written to Theresa May saying the Budget presented to parliament on Monday is an “unforgivable betrayal of future generations”, due to its “worrying lack” of policy to combat climate change.
They say that Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas and six other MPs, including Labour’s Clive Lewis and former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron signed the letter, which says “pushing policymaking into the long grass of Brexit at this stage represents an abject failure to govern in the interests of the people you are elected to serve”:
The chief executives of Greenpeace, 10:10 Climate Action and Global Witness were also among the signatories, who said the Budget was “a nadir for this government’s tainted climate record” and demanded “urgent action in the coming days must be announced”.
“Not only did the chancellor fail to mention climate change in his speech, but the policies he put forward – from subsidy to polluters via the fuel duty freeze to a mass road building programme – will increase the UK’s climate impact,” the letter says.
It also takes issue with the government’s fracking programme and highlights the findings of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) commissioned by the United Nations, published three weeks ago and which issued the most urgent and far-reaching call yet for world governments to cut their greenhouse gas emissions and stop global warming.
“[The report] was very clear about what governments need to urgently do – yet your government has all but ignored its publication in this Budget,” the letter says.
We are not only losing the battle against climate change but, thanks to the inaction and indefensible policies of government throughout the world, we are going backwards.
Of the major economies, Russia, the USA, Brazil and Australia are amongst those whose governments are sceptical about manmade climate change or who are or will be pursuing policies that may make it worse. This is even more concerning of course when one reads that these are four of the five countries who hold 70% of the world's last wildernesses.
To add to this roll-call of dishonour there is the seemingly growing disinterest within the UK Government in doing what is necessary to meet their own obligations in combatting climate change. The Independent highlights this concern by reporting that MPs and the heads of environmental organisations have written to Theresa May saying the Budget presented to parliament on Monday is an “unforgivable betrayal of future generations”, due to its “worrying lack” of policy to combat climate change.
They say that Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas and six other MPs, including Labour’s Clive Lewis and former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron signed the letter, which says “pushing policymaking into the long grass of Brexit at this stage represents an abject failure to govern in the interests of the people you are elected to serve”:
The chief executives of Greenpeace, 10:10 Climate Action and Global Witness were also among the signatories, who said the Budget was “a nadir for this government’s tainted climate record” and demanded “urgent action in the coming days must be announced”.
“Not only did the chancellor fail to mention climate change in his speech, but the policies he put forward – from subsidy to polluters via the fuel duty freeze to a mass road building programme – will increase the UK’s climate impact,” the letter says.
It also takes issue with the government’s fracking programme and highlights the findings of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) commissioned by the United Nations, published three weeks ago and which issued the most urgent and far-reaching call yet for world governments to cut their greenhouse gas emissions and stop global warming.
“[The report] was very clear about what governments need to urgently do – yet your government has all but ignored its publication in this Budget,” the letter says.
We are not only losing the battle against climate change but, thanks to the inaction and indefensible policies of government throughout the world, we are going backwards.
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The govnts of the world are too involved with fossil fuels and the money that comes from it.To rapidly change human behaviour is an . uphill struggle. It only happens at the last minute. Lets hope that the Human race for we will be hit by global warming NOT the planet,that will live on but we might not
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