Climate crisis

As ever the government is pussy footing around the issue, but it does seem some progress is being made. I reckon the XR campaign has been more than worth it, but suspect it will have to escalate its activities somewhat to make this a real impact.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/14/lunch-on-go-habit-generates-11bn-items-packaging-waste-year-uk

Come on people, make your own lunches.
Easy, quick, tastier, healthier, better for the planet.

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Made all the worse by London's "made fresh today" places.
Each branch of Eat, Coco Di Mama, Abokado etc throws out 50+ plastic packaged still good to eat meals everyday into the normal rubbish.

https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/17/why-the-guardian-is-changing-the-language-it-uses-about-the-environment

(kind of meta news)

This is interesting (and not meta):

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/30/humans-and-volcanoes-caused-nearly-all-of-global-heating-in-past-140-years

On the issue of extreme weather phenomena:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/10/philippines-overflows-with-millions-of-mangoes-as-el-nino-take-effect

The main impact of all this extra movement in the system seems to be that extremes become more concentrated.

On lifestyle choices
https://amp.theguardian.com/science/2019/jun/29/no-flights-four-day-week-climate-scientists-home-save-planet

On extreme weather phenomena--this is just crazy:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/01/freak-summer-hailstorm-buries-cars-in-mexicos-guadalajara

Guadalajara, located north of Mexico City and with a population of around five million, has been experiencing summer temperature of around 31C (88F) in recent days.

While seasonal hail storms do occur, there is no record of anything so heavy.

Could this get traction?

Convert fossil fuel subsidies into subsidies for renewable energy

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/263313

I signed this.

This kind of thing could inform opposition policy, if it takes-off.

Signed

Signed

Singed and shared.

I like how simple it is - you say this, but you act this. Switch it.

signed

It’s basically corporate welfare. It protects the status quo and keeps our politics compromised.

This is mainly in relation to the 5% VAT on domestic energy. Arguably removing this would impact most on the poorest in society . It may be that the numbers could be finagled so that this would be cancelled out with subsidies on renewables but I'm not sure if this would be possible whilst most households use gas for instance.

It's not necessarily a bad idea but it certainly isn't simple.

We’re leaving the EU ( I think ). VAT can then be < 5% on renewables.

But I agree. As this ^ does nothing for revenue and it’s not a saving that’d be capitalised on by the poor currently.

But ... build/renovate some real, energy efficient (net producing?) public housing (for instance) and things could be very different. Investment in renewables makes loads of sense for communal/community low-income living.

Just found this
https://climateemergencydeclaration.org/

Astounding the number of UK councils that have declared Climate Emergency.

These declarations are meant to evolve into specific actions, and quickly.

There'll be a lot of information about this topic. We have a few threads discussing climate stuff and XR actions

@Velocio perhaps Climate Emergency needs it's own forum.

I know there are XR what's app groups that people use for sharing info. These are not good for collecting and searching for info

IME most XR idea exchanges are done (mostly) face to face.

This is a really interesting phase.

There is a requirement to not tread familiar waters (authorities have developed counter-measures).

I would be excited to see a focused drive for a Citizens Assembly.

XR need ideas for smart and symbolic acts. Please get involved.

My LA was one of the early declarers back in February. Even so the first public engagement was in June with a brainstorming session.
It's as if we didn't know what the problems were.
I used to work for the authority in the 1990's, and was there during all the feverish activity around the Rio summit and Agenda 21, which ultimately amounted to nothing.
Last week the council said it was doing well on transport as 6% of journeys are now made by bike. Yet their own count says it was 2%. These declarations are not worth the hot air they are announced with without action.
I don't think they understand how serious the threat is.

Corbyn rejected the findings of a recent UN report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change:

“This report is a pack of lies, it is anti-scientific nonsense based on fraud which is intended to regiment people into paying more in carbon taxes and help the oil companies increase profits by increasing prices.” 

“CO2 has no effect on the temperatures. The levels of CO2 are driven by temperatures.”

https://www.desmog.co.uk/piers-corbyn

It's unfortunate he gets so much publicity, I assume at least in part on account of his more famous sibling.

[Piers] Corbyn characterises climate science as a tool of the “globalists” and sees George Soros as a kingpin in a global movement of “globalist elites” who are using climate science as a cover for a “deindustrialisation” agenda.

That must be a fun topic of conversation at the Corbyn dinner table.

You're right.

At least, now that councils have made the deceleration local campaigners within XR groups and independently will be asking them what their actions are.

In my council H&F there are sustained letter writing campaigns to councillors and local MPs

I wrote to my Councillor, Wesley Harcourt regarding plans for working towards travel behaviour change in my area (I gave him examples of some work done in Hackney around filtered neighbourhoods and the Liveable Streets programme), he responded asking me for specific proposals for him to discuss with his officers.

I'm planning to start a thread in the 'changes in public realm' forum and see if @Oliver Schick and others have any suggestions.