We CCAN

We are told by a president, a banker and other public figures that climate change is a con. We are wasting resources that we can’t afford on something that doesn’t exist.

The people of the world know different. Those that have had their homes burnt by wild fires, those who have had their homes flooded, those who have had to migrate to safer places, those who are enduring wars about water and food, those who have lost love ones through extreme weather and those who listen and understand the science.

Doing nothing will cost us more in the long run, more money to be spent, and more people suffering.

We CCAN do things now. CCAN means Climate Change Action Now. We need national governments to act, we need corporations to stop looking only to immediate profits, we need individuals to do what they CCAN.

Don’t worry about what YOU can’t do. Think about what YOU can do and act. No matter how small that action, it will be an action in the right direction. If we all do that it becomes a big action.

Together we CCAN make the change we need.

Climate Change Thinking

This last week has been an up and down week as regards climate change thinking. First we had a report from ex PM Tony Blairs organisation saying we could afford to go net zero because it would cost too much and the general public wouldn’t stand for it. Then a press release from the Climate Change committee saying the government was moving too slowly in tackling climate change. Reform and Conservative political parties saying we can’t afford to take action or that the action is not needed. Then President Trump and crew saying climate change doesn’t exist.

Then our government going forward very slowly towards a net zero target in 2030, only 4 and half years away and lots to do to make it realistic.

How confusing for the general public. Climate Change is real. While we continue pumping greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels it is getting worse. We don’t know how much further we have to go before there is irreversible change. People complain that we are moving to quickly, but as the problem was outlined in the 1970s and no actions were taken. We actually moving to slowly, but have left it to the 11th hour to take positive action.

Will we do enough, in the time we have?

National Transition Assembly

Just returned from the Transition Assembly in Manchester. An inspirational event, attended by 120 transition together people. Very diverse mix and so inclusive, kind and caring.

Transition is all about helping communities to move from the fossil fuel dominated lifestyles, we now live, to a positive sustainable low carbon lifestyle. Also to build community resilience to live with the climate change experienced now and to prepare for the greater extremes to come through mitigation and adaptation. We are living with conditions caused by our past and present choices. Lets make better choices in the future and create a better world for our grandchildren.

Fossil fuels will run out.

Since my last postI have looked up when fossil fuels may run out. Oil 47-50 years, Gas 52-60 years and coal 130+ years. These predictions are based on no increase to consumption and no new fields being found. There are sites on the net which suggest that we will never run out as we will always find more and have technology to extend their use. Most, including oil/gas companies contributors confirm the likelihood of running out in the years predicted. However consumption is increasing year on year. Four to five % a year for gas.

So with simple math we arrive at no oil from 2071 and 2074, no gas from 2076 and 2084 and no coal 2154 ish. My grand children will be around 52 with no oil, 60 with no gas and 135 with no coal. And last year 2023 has been the hottest year on record. We have already reached the 1.5 degree ceiling and ,because of the lack of urgency and lack of ambition, to we certainly going to experience far hotter years.

This all seems doom and gloom stuff. However I believe that the human race is more than capable to turn this round. It will not happen quickly we have gone to far along the path of doing damage but we have the technology now and more will come. What we have not got is the long-term vision, political will and leadership, the corporate will and leadership blinded by profit motive, and the public appetite for lifestyle change to support the above. The longer we leave it and the less ambitious our vision the longer it will take to turn this situation around.

Finally here again. Flooding in Framlingham

Last Thursday my raingauge filled almost with 25 mm . Then on Friday the rain continued. It was heavy rain and water levels were high. In the end Brook Lane was nearly waist height at the town end. Over a months rain in 24 hours. Many homes and businesses flooded. The speed and the depth of the flooding surprised everyone. Another aspect of climate change?

A ‘Titanic’ moment in UK history.

We are living in a ‘Titanic’ moment in UK history, with many struggling with

the cost of living and increasingly extreme weather conditions. All this is at a time of seemingly political inaction and only grudging acceptance that we may have a problem.

The Titanic was built as unsinkable, the captain sailed at full speed into an ice field, there were few lifeboats, the crew had not been trained in lifeboat drill, and even as the vessel began to sink, people on it would not accept that the unsinkable boat was sinking.

We have at least two major problems. First we live in a society which believes we can have continous growth year on year while living on a finite planet. We have also been told in the past, ‘society doesn’t exist’ and so we live as individuals trying to better ourselves by earning more and buying stuff we may not really need.

Secondly we have ignored the warnings from the 1970s until the present day, that we needed to take action on climate change. If we had taken action then, we could have taken small steps but now we have to take very large leaps. We will all need to change our behaviour and stop using all fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas). That is a huge ask!

In this ‘Titanic’ moment we need ‘lifeboats, or another vessel’. We are facing economic, social, resource and environmental collapse. Timescale unkown, but within the lives of our children. ‘Lifeboats’ at this moment are not about individuals building for themselves, but neighbourhoods and communities taking action together to prepare for the future by looking at the ‘likely risks’ and taking action. Taking action will give them hope. A good starting point may be http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-resilience-development-framework. The action taken will be different for each community as their location, size and present resilience differs.

Many will read this and put it down to some nutter’s rant, but some may begin to take action in their community and they will have an easier road ahead.

Right or wrong?

Our government tells us to not go out except for essential food, exercise, medication and work if we were essential workers. So in general the public followed the rules. Missed seeing family, missed seeing friends, missed seeing loved ones die in hospital or care home, missed the funeral of friends and hunkered down until told otherwise. Keep your distance 2m, wear a mask and keep at home.

While we were doing all that. A government employee decided it would be OK to travel the length of the country, others working in government thought it OK to party and thought it OK to associate up close with colleagues have drinks and eats, sit on laps and that was all OK. Even the leader of the country thought it was OK. We are told through parliament there were no parties. We are told that we followed the rules. Until an independent report and police investigations cost half a million said otherwise. Then and only then we were humbled and learnt a lesson.

The opposition is little better having beer and curry as part of work. No masks or distance?

So if and when the government tells us to do this or that. What should we do, behave as they did or as we did. Who was right and who was totally wrong?

Covid and its consequences

This global pandemic started in 2019 in China, then through rest of the world in 2020. Through vaccinations and restrictions the virus become less dangerous. Full lockdowns, mask wearing, keeping 2m from others and not associating with others were the restrictions imposed. Large numbers of people died, were hospitalized, suffer from long Covid and were unwell. Families did not see each other, weddings were very small or cancelled. Funerals could only be attended by 3 people. It would be over two years before we met up with some friends and family. The UK government set up funds to help people who were off work or because of restrictions were furloughed. he money was available, even though in the last election we were told there was no secret money tree.

In 2022 the UK Government decided that with cases falling and vaccinations given out we would now treat Covid like Flu. Only avoid others if you feel unwell. No restrictions at all. Summer 2022 and I still don’t feel comfortable around others particularly those who I don’t know. Some have rejoined their clubs as before 2020 but many others still are wary going out. Shopping is when you notice it most only a few wear masks and avoid others. The majority are back to pre-Covid behavior.

However in other parts of the world Covid is still a treat to humans. The virus mutates/changes when there are enough cases. In UK Covid went through Coronavirus, Covid, Kent, Alpha, South African, Delta and Omicron stages. It will probably mutate again and spread. Who is to say in a stronger or weaker form?

The inquiries are about to start about how the virus was handled. Few countries were prepared even though a pandemic was registered on various sites as a likely global risk. In UK the Prime Minster and Chancellor of the Exchequer have been fined for breaking the rules they made. A report is being written about the Government parties during lockdowns. The opposition leader has said if fined he would resign.

What will be long term hold? When will the next pandemic start and will we be any better prepared?

Restarting this blog

Hi everyone, I’ve moved house and restarting this blog along the same lines.

The world has moved on Climate Change up there and on the agenda but has been eclipsed by COVID. Living in the UK the media has switched to Football and tennis. Need to get back on track. We must address Climate Change.

December 2016

A cold start to December but the hottest year on record. Each year is getting hotter. Must stop burning fossil fuels altogether!