A vital United
Nations climate meeting starts in Paris on 30 November, lasting 2 weeks.
Climate change is already happening, at present affecting mostly the poorer
parts of the world, but even we can see that our weather has changed compared
to 50 years ago: milder winters, even more changeable weather, rising sea
levels measured at Liverpool Docks.
Many scientists
and analysts agree that unless that warming is kept below 2C, there will be
grave consequences for people and all other life. To do that we have to change
the way we live, to generate less climate-warming gases. For instance, we need
to leave at least three-quarters of known fossil fuel reserves in the ground,
and generate our energy other ways. We probably have only a window of 10-20
years to take appropriate action, before it will be too late to stop major
climate change over 2C. All countries need to take action, but the richer
countries (including the UK) have made most of the pollution and should take the
lead in cleaning up.
Our current
government should show the way in promising deep cuts to carbon emissions.
However, in the last few months since the election they have weakened or
abandoned several policies that would help reduce UK carbon emissions. 10
organisations, ranging from The Wildlife Trusts national office through RSPB,
National Trust, CPRE to Friends of the Earth, recently wrote to the Prime
Minister to express their concern. Most of the changes were not in the
Conservative manifesto, and include:
* withdrawing
support for solar PV and wind energy generation,
* cancellation of the
requirement for new homes to be built to zero-carbon standards, a mere 6 months
before it was due to start, and after a decade of careful planning by
responsible builders.
* changes to car
tax so that high-polluting vehicles will pay the same as the most efficient
ones after the first year.
* drilling for
shale gas to be allowed in areas used for drinking water and the most
wildlife-rich areas of the country, like the Dee Estuary.
* partially
lifting the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides, despite mounting evidence of their
harm to pollinating insects especially bees.
* stopping the
"Green Deal" programme to help people insulate their homes. This had
problems and was not being effective, but nothing has been put in its place.
Please write to
the Prime Minister (10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA) and contact your MP to
urge the government to go to the UN climate meeting prepared to commit to large
and urgent cuts in UK greenhouse gas emissions. Also to take action to help our
environment in general, rather than harm it.
Hilary Ash
