In reply to Robert Durran:
The shit is really hitting the fan and governments arent doing anything. Our government have been warned we will need desalination to supply uk water within a couple of decades even if we do sort all the leaks and increase capacity. We're doing neither of the latter. Veg yields were down 20% in the UK last year, and olive yields were down 60% in Italy in a new climate pattern set to continue. This is before we lose the reflection from arctic ice, which is now unavoidable and expected any summer over the next few years, which will then markedly amplify northern hemispheric warming trends. And we have Claire Perry MP in parliament confused about what a climate emergency might look like... ...well how about doing your job and considering at least some mitigation of the effects even if you aren't going to lift a finger to help our kids?!
I've been off UKC for a few years, being more on Twitter (which gave great direct access to talk to climate scientists). I started the recent bout of climate discussion after being surprised at the discussion around the Etive hydro. It wasn't that particular hydro (which is genuinely controversial) that surprised me, but rather the surprising dysjunction between just how much we need to do to at least try to address climate change and just how unreal the climbing/walking community's appreciation of that seemed to be.
Refreshingly there are a good number who are trying, as well as the professional contrarians there always were on UKC, but also a few who are disappointingly undermining of the value of individual effort (which in contrast I think is essential primarily because it is rarely just individual).
I used to love climbing, skiing and walking mostly across Europe. And while climbing had fallen by the wayside at the time, I would love to have kept travelling abroad for holidays and especially for skiing. However, I made a conscious decision not to fly anymore about 5yrs ago. I still climb, walk and occasionally ski. However, I switched to do more hill running, kayaking, and have recently taken up fencing (epee) which is addictive as hell. Life is still good!
Being environmentally conscious has made me aware of low impact fun. I've played music for years, but I suddenly realised just how much real value can be created with very little material consumption from things like playing music in sessions. I never thought I would have done any gardening 10yrs ago, but now it is another focus, which being a geek I love the science of, and again it has community associated with it. So, I think if you want to make acting on climate a priority, and I'd love you to do that, I think you will find many local opportunities in the same or different activities, and you won't be borrowing from tomorrow's people to do so.
As for China. Well yes China is the big emitter we need to urgently change direction. However, though they are very much the problem creators on emissions, remember that that economic activity is in no small part driven by western consumption. Furthermore, their mitigation looks serious too. Their investment in solar panels has helped liberate a world market and they are doing the same now with battery tech. They are the biggest global renewables investors. They are also with India responsible for maintenance of the balance that has kept a global greening trend through reforestation despite deforestation elsewhere. Their scientists have produced a perennial rice (PR23) that is as productive as an annual, which should allow mixed animal systems that along with reducing soil erosion should reduce methane production too. So China are very much the problem, but they are also doing more solution creation than others too.
My own view is we get our house in order, because thats the way we lead, persuade others of the direction of travel, get market advantages, and, most particularly, its the way we look after our own people best too. Are we not even going to do that?
And, as I've said before, there is no such thing as individual action. We live in families, communities, companies, organisations. Our changes of behaviour can be unnoticed, but they can be provocative and create new possibilities. The results may be the small incremental step we alone have taken, but they can extend much wider. And look what a few individuals have achieved, $3billion of fossil fuel divestment started with a few people, extinction rebellion was started by 2 academics, Greta Thunberg has started a global school strike movement. I know the problem is huge, but I find it ironic that the product of an individualistic society is one in which so many prefer to believe in the impotence of individuals, and indeed believe in the impossibility of challenging our own consumptions. It is probably naive, but I think being the change we want to see is the way forward.
Post edited at 00:46