Urgent need to act on climate change is focus of Grantham RiverCare in ‘Tales from the Riverbank’
“Time to act” on climate change is the call from Grantham RiverCare co-leaders Ian Simmons and David Martin in their latest ‘Tales from the Riverbank’ column. They write:
This month we lift our gaze and consider the bigger picture that is affecting us all.
We are talking about the climate emergency, recognised and declared by many UK councils, including our own SKDC who declared a climate emergency in 2019.
Earlier this year the composition of the council changed radically from a long-established majority, so it will be interesting to see what will happen in this area.
We applaud again the blue/green corridor work along the River Witham, which has seen enhancements to the riverbed, improving the ecosystem for animals and plants. Oxygen levels in the water will be improved, important as we have seen increasing reports of fish die-offs, luckily none locally – yet, due as increasing water temperatures reduce oxygen levels.
Some recent relevant events to report: Zak Goldsmith resigned from his environmental brief in the House of Lords openly criticising the Government for a lack of progress towards its stated goal of net zero carbon dioxide by 2050 (from 1990 levels).
Typically an oft used argument at home for doing nothing is, ‘well, what are the Chinese doing?’ Actually, China is set to double its renewable energy capacity, meeting their 2030 goal five years ahead of time. Indeed, in Q1 this year, China’s solar capacity reached 228GW, more than the rest of the world combined!
Additionally, solar farms under construction in China will add a further 379GW, triple that of the US and double that of Europe. This matters.
The recent UK Government U-turn regarding on-shore wind turbine construction has been criticised by many at a national level. Contrast this with Ukraine, battling invasion, where they have installed more onshore wind turbines than England have over the same period.
If that is possible under wartime conditions, we have to ask – why are we dragging our feet?
Labour’s original plan to spend £28 billion a year for five years if they come to power, has been watered down due to ‘fiscal considerations’.
While borrowing may have been a good idea a year ago when money was cheap, anyone who has a mortgage, pays rent or goes shopping will realise it isn’t any more. It is not our place to point the finger, but it is legitimate to suggest the environment is more important than monetary considerations.
Ask those on the east cost of the US suffering air pollution from Canadian wildfires, polar scientists about shrinking ice thicknesses or about increasing sea temperatures. You can’t pick and choose the science.
Time to act people!