Whilst it was good to see Starmer criticising Johnson for ‘a cabaret of soundbites’, it is also ironic that that was basically what he did yesterday. Where are the policies from anyone which the public can consider and debate?
CLIMATE CHANGE
Johnson’s climate spokesperson prefers to drive a diesel car. She stated that she had to do trips of 200-250 miles and seems unaware that a 80% charger can take 20 minutes. However it does highlight the need to roll out the necessary infrastructure for electric cars to really takeover the market.
CYCLE AND WALK WAYS
Would the government please stop prefacing every initiative with a cost figure. It means nothing, especially when given to cronies. A £338 million package – what does that actually mean? For a motorway I would guess a maximum of 25 miles. What will the money be spent on – I suspect about half will go on surveys by think tanks!
WEATHER
CLIMATE EMERGENCY
I have been thinking about the governments incompetence too much! The climate emergency, just like the first lockdown, requires all of us to do our bit at all levels of society. Governments can have a big input, but we should not, must not, rely on them to solve the issue. It is down to us as individuals first and foremost to do our bit. Then all companies and organisations need to do their bit. Local government has a major chance to prove its worth. The problem is bigger than Covid. It needs community action.
CLIMATE CHANGE
I am hoping I do not regret writing this! Climate change is so important that governments must ignore atrocities; that may be happening in Myanmir, Western China; the financial wellbeing of MLC’s in a capitalist society; even personal freedoms; in the effort to halt the catastrophic tumble into climate chaos.
100 DAYS TO GO
COP26 will be held in Glasgow. It is time to stop the prevarication, the promises, the lies, basically the bollocks, and do something. I will promise not to write another damning comment on Coco if he delivers this time! No slogans, fist pumping, arm waving, just guaranteed policies to do what needs to be done. No comments about us doing better than, more committed than, what is needed is leadership bozo! Electricity generation and infra structure need to be forefront, energy efficiency in all areas close behind. `No comments like ‘by 2030 all houses in the uk will need to be energy efficient”, replace the 2030 with from tomorrow – that is the sort of kick up the backside builders need. Aviation fuel tax made prohibitive for private planes – if mega rich people leave the ok we can always send them a Xmas card!
RECORD NUMBER OF MIGRANTS MANAGE TO CROSS THE CHANNEL TO THE UK – WELL DONE.
Your welcome is likely to be less than you deserve. What ever has driven you from your homes and loved ones I hope you find success here.
JOINED UP THINKING
CLIMATE CHAOS
Floods across Central Europe – where rainfall has smashed previous records (95mm to 154mm in Koln). Canada and West USA braced for more record temperatures and associated fires. And the hurricane season has not really got going yet. And of course records from other parts of the world are hardly reported.
1mm rain = 1 litre of rainfall per square metre. An interesting statistic that I looked up after hearing that parts of Germany received 148 litres per square metre in a 48 hour period. Being a gardener (I would not say keen!) I am aware of how much a 5 litre watering can do. This is a bit like the comments about ‘half the size of Wales’ – but I have 5 big pots of mint and probably water them with a litre each every day or so. That rainfall was like about me pouring 30 cans over them in 2 days! What was the point of the last few sentences – none really, but as no one else reads this it does not matter!
4 thousand km2 burning in 71 wildfires. The largest are creating pyrocumulonimbus clouds (hail, lightning and tornadoes). It really does seem as if the earth has had enough of our nasty habits. The Amazon is now in oxygen deficit due to clearing by fire for farming under the policies of their bozo president.
And the UK – will have a relatively minor heat wave for the next few days. This weather can always set of thunderstorms and localised flooding events. It all depends where these are. Sorry, but I am cynical. It depends on where it its. If it is an area with crowded housing or people below the £1 million threshold there will be much hand wringing, and bleating about support and help, but basically nothing will be done to change the land use that creates the problem (especially if a grouse moor). If only the floods could hit Henley or Sandbanks, I am sure stronger action would be taken. I suppose the rich mostly built their houses on hills so they could look down on the peasants! Certainly true of Clifton within Bristol and the owners mansions overlooking the harbour.