Archive for the ‘politics’ Category
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Sustainable Energy: Without the Hot Air Link
Here is a link to a very important book, (free and online - thats not why it is important) it is written by David Mackay - a very clever chap, a physicist from Cambridge University who also dabbles in Energy and Sustainability issues, with relation to the UK, he is also an advisor to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
I recommend it to anyone - in the book are his thoughts on Energy and Sustainability - Included are some practical steps to reducing the amount of energy you use personally… I confess to not having read the whole thing, yet, as I have a reading list the size of a bus.
My day job is in local government which taught me a little how UK policy works, I am interested in how the Climate Squad fits into the UK Decarbonisation agenda, particularly how we are contributing to CO2 reduction target of 34% overall in the UK by 2020.
The long term target of 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050.
At a recent talk about Copenhagen, I heard that, at COP15 the real negotiations did not start until Friday 3am, and then with only 30ish Countries fleshing out the deal, in fact Ed Miliband suggested that talks of these types need smaller groups, representatives in order to reach agreement.
There are many issues with the negotiations that have taken place, my mind is not made up, and I feel it will take some time to realise what the effects (if any) of the Accord are, is it enough of a start to be worthwhile or a complete failure, at a very recent DECC event (to welcome home Ed Miliband and the UK delegation) there were very mixed feelings, some criticised the UK others praised it, and the same has been said of the hosts, whatever the case, I am sure this is just the beginnning, after all we have upcoming events in Bonn (early 2010) and MEX16 to look forward to in 2010.
Alaric
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Possibility beyond Limitations?
There is a general consensus that the Copenhagen Climate Change talks did not fully achieve what they set out to achieve, some argue that the agreements that were made were a vital first step, that progress towards anything will be slow but the point is that progress is being made. Others take a harder line, that the talks resulted in an empty document and that this is not enough to constitute any kind of progress. However the main question facing us now is not whether or not COP15 was a success, but what practical steps can be taken in order to keep momentum going.
The conference held with Ed Milliband and The Prime minister was brought together in order to try and answer this question. The Prime minister began by thanking the NGOs and the climate change groups for their continued support; he briefly summarised the conclusions of the talks, that the 2C agreement had been reached which was a positive step, however he made it clear he was disappointed with the lack of a legally binding agreement in this area. He talked positively of how emerging market countries had accepted the emissions plans and England’s encouraging role in pushing towards some kind of agreement as talks began to dwindle into nothingness towards the end; He asserted that without Copenhagen the majority of the countries that have agreed to some kind of emissions cut would not have done so otherwise. He did not attempt to idealise COP15, he reasserted that the agreements made were not perfect and were flawed by ‘a handful of countries’ which stood in the way of ‘global progress.’ He also made it clear that ‘threats and fear’ cannot be allowed to dominate proceedings. Another problem he drew attention to was the flawed decision making process, that a vehicle could not be found to get people moving in the same direction together. It seemed that he was suggesting everyone had things to lose and gain in the face of climate change and due to these differing agendas, nothing could be truly agreed on as there seemed to be no genuine common ground. The countries were acting independently rather than trying to find a global solution. What he believes needs to happen now is an audit for transparency in order for countries show clearly what they are doing in terms of trying to reach the goals set in Copenhagen. Although transparency is a good thing when it comes to any kind of political agreement, it is unclear how such a thing can be achieved.
He finished his speech by stating that ‘enough good will exists in the world to allow change to happen’ and that the agreements that have been made have been made possible by the climate change organisations that have kept ‘the flame burning for a climate change agreement.’
Milliband followed the Prime ministers speech, he quickly ran through what he believes we have to do now in order to keep the ball rolling: Firstly he stated that the domestic campaign is the essential building block of our role in negotiations; not only ecologically but economically our country depends on it. Secondly he wishes to drive towards reaching a legally binding agreement, however did not provide information as to how this was going to be achieved. Thirdly he believes that greater ecological ambition needs to be expressed by richer countries as the difference between a small change and a large change from these countries will make all of the difference. Fourthly he expressed disappointment in the negotiation process in Copenhagen; although he gave credit to the UN and stated that without it the talks could not happen at all, the procedural arguments were not a good way to run negotiations as they delayed them further. Finally he reassured the conference that any kind of fundamental change can only happen with time, there must be some kind of struggle and long determination to achieve goals as large as the ones attempting to be achieved in Copenhagen.
The two main problems from the Copenhagen talks seemed to be to do with the actual negotiation process put in place by the UN which in turn lead to a reluctance to sign a legally binding agreement. I think if the talks eventually happen in Germany there should be less priority put on the procedure and more of a concrete agenda set in place; once this agenda has been set prior to the actual talks, the countries who need to negotiate should be allowed to take the time to talk to each other about this agenda which all should be able to agree with. The Prime Minister emphasised the fact that a vehicle could not be found that could take the talks forward, this vehicle therefore must be found prior to when the talks actually happen in order to allow progress and give all of those present a common goal.
Personally I don’t think Copenhagen has really changed anything, our attitudes must remain the same and the same action must be taken to keep momentum going. The talks didn’t fully achieve what everyone wanted and because no legally binding agreement was signed there is a chance than nothing will happen, therefore speaking of ‘what needs to happen next’ is a meaningless statement. Continuity and consistency are the only things that can be certain to help facilitate change, not only in the home but in every aspect of life, what needs to happen is a reappraisal of values in the face of changing needs for a changing time. No longer can people look at themselves from the same perspective, there needs to be a compete overhaul of how people think, which will lead in turn to changing what people do. This is really what needs to happen, as long as people remain in the right frame of mind then a question such as ‘what to do next?’ won’t need to exist.
However a hopeful disposition is necessary, therefore the conclusion of the talks must be seen as a positive step, the only thing that can be done now is to persist in the things that were being done before to an extent that surpasses previous efforts in order to ensure that there are more talks which will ensure more progress.
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Climate Squad volunteers chat politics and Eco-Driving with Ed Miliband
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, was put to the test by Climate Squad volunteers on Tuesday. Reported by John Northall, 21.
The event
The public rally, hosted by DECC and Friends of the Earth Manchester, was Ed’s last before travelling to Copenhagen. So it was the public’s final chance to be heard before one of the most important climate conferences the world has ever seen. We were there to make sure Ed understood young people’s ideas, concerns and experiences. We told him all about Climate Squad, what we have been up to, and why we thought he should check out COPArt.
Asking the panel a question
There was a panel discussion - the chance to formally question Ed and representatives from the Guardian, Friends of the Earth and the Co-operative Group. A heated debate ensued with some really powerful views and questions on Copenhagen being dealt with by the panel. A fellow volunteer even rose to the occasion, asking Ed what will be done to instill hope and guidance to his college friends, suggesting Labour returned to its original Education, Education, Education policy to tackle climate change without leaving young people out of the loop. Ed considered this and replied that it is important young people know how they can help and do not feel helpless, stating that he thought initiatives such as Climate Squad can help young people to do this, but currently the Government are not succeeding.
Ed’s driving!
There was also the chance for some casual chatting, but we didn’t want to waste this. So, we sat Ed down in our Eco Driving Simulator to see how efficiently he can drive. After a hesitant start, and some questionable speeds, he learnt how to drive more fuel efficiently, and luckily more safely too. However, judging from his score, we suggest he sticks to the back-seat and lets his chauffeur do the driving. I wonder: would Conservative Greg Clark would manage any better…? Get in touch if you want a go, Greg!
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“Make or Break Time for Our Climate”
As you can probably tell by the number of blogs we’ve already written on it, we here at Climate Squad are really excited about COP15 later this year, and, amazingly, we were lucky enough to be invited to the launch of the UK’s strategy for the UN Climate Change conference, “Act on Copenhagen“.
So, last Friday we made the trip up to London Zoo (and managed a quick peek at the bearded pigs and emus as we walked through!) and had the chance to be in the very select audience to hear Ed Miliband, Gordon Brown and Hilary Benn tell us about their plans for Copenhagen. We were so thrilled to be there, and we were in great company, with ambassadors from Rwanda, Canada and Italy among others, as well as some of the serious movers and shakers in the environmental action world.
Courtesy of Department of Energy & Climate Change, Crown Copyright. Photographer: Zoe Norfolk
So, what does the UK’s strategy involve? Well, Gordon Brown has set the bar high. He’s called for rich countries to hand over an amazing £60 billion (or $100 billion) each year. The money would be raised from private and public sources, such as levies on international carbon trading schemes. Developing countries would be able to apply for funds for specific projects, a necessity given that, as he pointed out in his speech, one of the greatest injustices of all is that “98% of those dying and seriously affected [by climate change] live in the poorest countries, and yet those countries account for only 8% of global emissions. Those hit first and hardest are those who have done the least.”
Greenpeace have commented on the launch, saying that “Brown is right when he says the scale of the money on the table for the developing world will make or break Copenhagen. By becoming the first major leader to put a figure on how much money is needed he has shown signs of leadership on climate change that have so far been sorely lacking”.
It’s well worth going to the Number 10 website to read a full transcript of Gordon Brown’s speech, as well as the new Act on Copenhagen site.
- Courtesy of Department of Energy & Climate Change, Crown Copyright
Climate Squad team members with Ed Miliband
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Bexley Council reduces it’s environmental impact even further!
We were really pleased to hear that Bexley Borough Council is trying to reduce the amount of waste that they sent to landfill. The borough is already streets ahead of others, having already reached its 2020 target of recycling 50% of all waste, and they are determined to improve on even this!
Provided the Council Cabinet approves the borough’s plans, they will start sending their non-recyclable waste to an ‘Energy from Waste Facility’ which would not only divert the waste from landfill, but also generate green electricity.
A big well done to the residents of Bexley for their recycling efforts, and also to the Borough Council for trying to improve on an already impressive acheivment!
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The future of packaging
The Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has recently published a new strategy, Making the Most of Packaging which aims to decrease the environmental impact of packaging - this could have a really positive impact.
There have already been big successes in recycling grocery packaging waste; in 1997 only 28% of the U.K’s packaging waste was recycled, but this has now gone up to 61%, saving over 8.9 millions tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions. The aim is to increase this even further by 2010, a really acheivable target, and one we can all be involved in helping to reach.
Defra are aiming to improve in two different categories, the first is changing the way in which packaging is produced and used, which can be done by promoting refillable and reusable packaging, increasing eco design and raising consumer awareness, among other things.
The second category is increasing recycling, which can be done by persuading packaging producers to invest more, by improving recycling rates for each of the main packing materials (such as glass, aluminium and plastics) and by encouraging businesses and local authorities to treat recycling as a source of potential revenue.
If you want to read the whole of Defra’s strategy, and to see what changes they’re planning on making, you can find it online at Defra
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Seal the deal in Copenhagen
We’re hearing from some of you that we need to do more to make world leaders take responsibility for climate change. Don’t worry, we’re on the case with this.
In December, world leaders will be in Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Conference, and we’re determined to make sure they reach an agreement which will safeguard the planet for future generations.
Stay tuned for details of how you can get involved with the United Nations Seal the Deal campaign, plus our Cop Art idea - a creative way to get the message across.
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Why now? We’re not stupid
Everyone should watch The Age of Stupid - and not just because it stars the man surely everyone wants as their granddad (or is that just me?) Pete Postlethwaite. He plays a man in 2055, looking at a devastated world and asking - why didn’t we do something while we had the chance?
Now is it me, or is 2055 not that far away? If anything’s going to put you off starting for a pension, this film is it.
I saw the film’s director, Franny Armstrong, take on the UK’s Climate Change and Energy minister Ed Miliband in a debate, and I was really surprised. Not just because I found myself not hating a politician but because what he seemed to be saying was - I need people to get on my case about this. OK, so what he actually said was: “There does need in the second half of this year a real sense of people saying now’s the time to get the most ambitious deal in Copenhagen.” But that’s the same thing, right?
Anyway, who are we to argue? So if you want to encourage some people to moan at a politician, hold a screening for your friends, or your gas guzzling gran. Anyone, really. You can even charge people and keep the cash. Find out how at: www.indiescreenings.net.
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