450 words on Climate Change for The Citizen

It is Climate Friendly Fortnight (15th to 30th September) and the South West Wildlife Trusts and others aim to share ways in which we can rise to the challenge of climate change. I've been asked to write a piece in this coming Saturdays' Citizen. Here's what I sent them:

Photo: Randwick woods

TIME FOR DECISIVE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Future generations, those who survive, will look back at the early 21st century and wonder why we did so little to slow climate change. Never before has a species so minutely monitored its own demise. It's becoming clear with new reports every week that climate change is accelerating and will occur faster and in more unpredictable ways than previously thought.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change this week says it is "very unlikely" we can avoid the 2 degree threshold for dangerous climate change. This is the point many natural systems that sustain life on earth start to die: the Greenland ice sheet melts, Pacific islands disappear, the Great Barrier Reef dies, coastal cities are flooded, one third of species face extinction and millions face drought and famine.

The effects in the 'developed' world will also be dramatic: increased storms and more serious flooding, food shortages as harvests fail and economic turmoil as financial systems react to uncertain times. At three degrees, the Amazon rainforest - the planet's lungs - will die along with much more.

Yet we can still avoid catastrophic change, and there's a chance we can avoid dangerous change. This is a time for heros, not cowards. It's a time to step forward and do your bit and what better time to start than Climate Friendly Fortnight.

There is plenty of advice available. It's possible for each of us to dramatically reduce the emissions for which we are responsible, without significantly reducing our quality of life. What's needed is for individuals and communities to decide to act on the advice that is available.

We also need politicians to act - or we must vote them out. Nine leading environmental organisations said last week that none of the three main parties are providing the leadership and action needed on the environment. We need emissions cuts of 90 per cent by 2030, yet our emissions are still rising, £30 billion is being spent on more roads, aviation subsidises continue and massive airport expansions are planned.

Locally there are signs of understanding but no urgency - still for example we see a failure to condemn Staverton Airport's plans to increase emissions or the Parkway scheme that will increase car use.

We can create a green, fairer future of greater employment, healthier food, stronger communities, warmer homes from better insulation and self-sufficiency in energy instead of fossil fuels from unstable countries. We must tackle climate change but also build resilient communities that will cope with the coming challenges. If enough people lead the way then the politicians will be forced to follow. So this fortnight decide to make a difference and change your life for the better.

Philip Booth, who writes a daily blog on green issues, local and national at:
http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/