Over the next 30 years, we have to make massive decisions on how to protect the planet, develop new green jobs to replace the jobs that will be lost in cutting emissions, and all the other changes we have to make.
A new global agreement was reached at the COP26 conference in Glasgow last year. The parties are the 197 nations who have agreed to this environmental pact.
The idea is that strong emission reduction targets aim to close the gap to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C. They agreed that developed countries should urgently deliver more resources to help climate-vulnerable countries adapt to the dangerous and costly consequences of climate change that they are feeling already from dwindling crop yields to devastating storms.
The problem is that there’s so much to do to make a difference. It will cost a great deal and there has to be a real global commitment to this work. The young people today have taken this on board with spokespeople from different countries.
They want to protect the future which we have been destroying. Let’s look at all the positive steps that we can take, remembering at all times that as we take these steps, we have to constantly create new green jobs because many jobs will be lost on the way. We also have to provide training programmes in these new green sectors.
We have to close down North Sea oil and gas exploration.
The oilfields are constantly biologically and chemically monitored to understand the impact this exploration is having on the marine systems. But we really do not know how much damage we are doing to the oceans.
Fossil fuels industries receive massive subsidies to enable these businesses to survive. These must stop. These industries must end but green jobs must take their place so that the workers in these industries do not suffer.
Sitting in my garden in Wales, I look out at beautiful countryside and we treasure it. We consider ourselves very privileged. If we are not careful, this could all be gone if we do nothing to protect the greenery around us and the land that we love. We must protect Nature at all costs. We do not need pesticides. We must use Nature to help us protect Nature.
We must stop the deforestation that is taking place all over the world. Trees are the lungs of our planet. It is no good planting more trees if the Amazon rainforests are being destroyed. Since the 1960s the world has lost about half of its rainforests. 55% of the total carbon dioxide emissions responsible for global warming comes from clearing down forests by burning trees.
Something that people do not think about is how important it is to negotiate with the International Maritime Organisation. These massive cruise ships need to stop being built and they have to slow down their steaming over our beautiful oceans.
Just as there are parts of the M4 where cars have to reduce their speed to 50mph, and in city and town centres to 20mph, this alone can help to reduce pollution. The cruise ships are the same and can reduce pollution while they cruise.
We have to change our behaviour. We have to think about plastic-free consumerism. What does that mean? Supermarkets have already started trying to use less plastic. You can buy some goods without plastic covering. We need to put pressure on them to do more. We need to eat less meat. That one is easy for me as I am a vegetarian but we also need to eat less dairy and that one is hard for me as I love cheese.
We need to change our carbon polluting habits, there are free online carbon footprint calculators which can help you make individual changes which are fun too.
Governments should scrap most transport plans, cancel all road building, stop HS2 and cancel airport expansion.
We should confront the building industry to make sure that new builds reduce carbon emissions.
Governments should think about helping householders to insulate old houses, to encourage them to add solar power and help to reduce soaring energy bills.
There is such a thing as a Climate Income. We should have a climate tax so that we can redistribute the revenue to all the citizens since the rich will pay a huge amount of tax as they produce the majority of pollution.
A controversial point is population control which is inextricably linked to climate change. A 2009 study of the relationship between population growth and global warming worked out that just 1 child can produce 20 times more greenhouse gas than a person who is trying to save energy and doing all the right things like recycling. However it is important to note that you cannot blame overpopulation for climate change. It can be one of the issues but that is all. It is still under debate.
Fairtrade is fighting for change and tackling the climate crisis. Fairtrade farmers and workers are leading the campaign for climate justice, challenging world leaders with a simple but powerful message: Be fair with your climate promise.
If you buy Fairtrade products, it means more power and more money in the hands of farmers and workers, which gives them more resources to take on the climate crisis. Governments in the developed countries must also help the developing countries.
As Mary Kinyua says,
“The costs of addressing the climate crisis must not be unfairly placed on those of us who did the least to cause it.”
