Lobby for Structural Change Now

The last 6 weeks have seen important announcements about the UK’s action on the climate emergency, looking forward to the global conference COP26 which will be hosted by the UK in November 2021.

The UK Committee on Climate Change gave its 6th carbon budget report on 9 December 2020. The Committee on Climate Change advises the UK Government on what it needs to do.

They urged Government to get on with this at once. We cannot wait any longer.

All the experts agree that we need to invest real money in tackling the climate emergency – somewhere between £20bn and £30bn every year.

Even though this is a lot, the cost of action is less than 1% of GDP (closer to 0.5%). These are the costs of rebuilding after COVID-19 anyway. And returns are significant, with new jobs, less need for state benefit payment sand increased taxes.

The Government had just announced its 10 Point Plan for a green revolution, on 18 November. And on 4 December, it published our Nationally Determined Contribution on greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. This included a new and more ambitious target to reduce emissions by 68% by 2030 (from a 100% baseline in 1990).

But despite the fine words, the UK Government’s announcement gave only £4bn – and they took £1bn of that away immediately, when they cut funding for the railway. They have no detailed plan for hitting the promised targets, and almost no funding to pay for action.

So what do we do?

Should we panic?

No. But because it won’t help, not because it isn’t very frightening.

Should we feel guilty? No. It isn’t our fault.

We read story after story after story about “what you can do about climate change.” Change your lightbulbs. Bring reusable bags. Cut back on meat. It’s preposterous. Climate change could never have been fixed by ordering a less take-aways, using fewer plastic bags, turning off more lights or planting a few trees.

The vast majority of global greenhouse gas emissions come from just a handful of corporations, and it’s business and government that needs to act. We need structural changes that make it possible for us to lead zero-carbon lives.

So what can we do? Focus on what will make the most difference. And push for action by people with power–Government, and business. Show politicians that they’ll get more votes if they act on the climate crisis, and business people that they’ll lose money if they don’t act. Ι Email your Winchester City Councillor and Hampshire County Councillor to say you want more action more quickly. Ask what their party is doing locally – or what it will do if it wins a majority in the 2021 local elections Ι Take your savings and your pension out of any institution that invests in fossil fuels – writing to them first to tell them you will unless they disinvest