Stubborn Optimism For The Climate

"This decade is a moment of choice unlike any we have ever lived," says Christiana Figueres, the architect of the historic 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

As we begin this new year, amidst difficult and uncertain circumstances, I am inspired by this amazing leader – Christiana Figueres – who, in a recent TED talk, describes stubborn optimism as choosing to approach challenges with hope and action.

For each other and the health of our planet we can choose to do our bit, choose to assume that our bit matters, choose to trust that others will do their bit–like adding our piece to the jigsaw puzzle of life. This is true in face of a pandemic. This is true when it comes to cutting greenhouse gases.

Each February, the Climate Coalition invite people to get involved in the Show The Love Campaign. Thousands of people across the country use green hearts to celebrate all we love and want to protect from the worst effects of the climate crisis and ask their MPs to tackle climate change. Find out more at https://www. theclimatecoalition.org/show-the-love

At Winchester Action on Climate Change, working with communities who want to take action to reduce carbon emissions is one of our priorities this year. Working together is a choice. The question of tackling the climate emergency is being asked in all areas locally, nationally and globally – the City Council; the County Council; parishes; churches; businesses; farms; energy suppliers; the Government announcing a 10-point plan for a green revolution and the 6th Carbon Budget from the Committee on Climate Change (you can read WinACC’s response to these on the website https://www. winacc. org.uk/ follow-themoney-tocheck-uk-action-on-the-climate-crisis/); and later in 2021 the UK will host the United Nations climate summit – a chance to lead the world towards a sustainable future.

As you step into the year ahead, making choices about your impact on those around you and on the planet, do please link up with WinACC if we can help with climate action you are involved in. You are welcome to our zoom open meetings at 10.30am on the last Saturday of every month – see our website winacc.org.uk, or email contactus@winacc.org.uk

And if you have 8 minutes, I highly recommend Christiana Figueres’ TED talk (link below) in the hope you too will be inspired: ‘Optimism means envisioning our desired future and actively pulling it forward’! https://www.ted.com/talks/christiana_ figueres_the_case_for_stubborn_optimism_ on_climate?utm_source=tedcomshare&utm_ medium=email&utm_campaign=tedspread

Jo Crocker, Coordinator, Winchester Action on Climate Change