We started the Industrual Revolution here in Derby. The world is looking to us in the UK to take the steps to reduce emmisions and reduce biodiversity loss. Our consumption is disproportionate to our size and we import huge amounts of manufactured goods and food.
We also can impact on what happens overseas because we buy what they make. In the UK, we pay other countries to do most of our manufacturing then we blame them for the emissions. Try to buy local when you can. The following is from Dr Chris Newman of Doctors for XR, who published a guide on “How to answer climate trolls” on Medium, based on all the interviews he’s watched on TV and Radio over the last 6 months:
- SOME COUNTRIES HAVE CAUSED MORE POLLUTION THAN OTHERS: Western countries have polluted most in history. We have benefitted from decades of colonialism, resource theft and historical pollution to produce good infrastructure; good roads, sewerage systems, rail networks, buildings etc etc. Asking that we just forget the past is like inheriting a mansion and refusing to pay more council tax.
- OUR COUNTRY HAS A STRONG TRADITION OF LEADERSHIP: The UK was one of the first countries to ban slavery, it has the best health service in the world according to the Commonwealth Fund. We have a history of leading the way on important issues. We should do the same here.
- WE NEED TO LOOK AFTER THE MOST VULNERABLE: The people who suffer most will be those in the poorest countries. The poorest poor. They are the ones least responsible and the ones who are suffering most now, and will suffer most in the future. A measure of the health of a society is how much it looks after its most vulnerable; those in low lying countries or closest to the equator.
- OUR LEADERSHIP WILL HELP OTHER COUNTRIES CHANGE FASTER: Environmental care and concern is growing internationally and exponentially. No one wants to see their way of life permanently destroyed by climate change. As soon as one country moves, others will follow. The people of the world will demand it.
- SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT: If everyone waits for everyone else, we all lose.
To put this another way, the average Brit is responsible for nearly 50x more aviation CO2 than the average Indian – and 9x more than average Chinese.
(Not forgetting that many people don’t fly at all) https://t.co/28jBwwrDBY
— Simon Evans (@DrSimEvans) January 22, 2020
Actually some countries are doing great things. None of it is perfect but it’s a start:
Lambasting China over its emissions might impress the US but it could be costly for Australia (from Sept 2019 and look what happened to Australia)
Developing nations cause far less emissions than us in 2020 “Britons reach Africans’ annual carbon emissions in just two weeks”
China reassigns 60,000 soldiers to plant trees in bid to fight pollution
UN praises India for climate action, says Modi govt making fantastic efforts
While most countries’ efforts are insufficient to meet even the Paris agreement targets, India actually scores better than European according to this: https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/
Here’s a more detailed article from the National Geographic. Climate change report card: These countries are reaching targets
Italy to become first country to make learning about climate change compulsory for school students
What’s the US Green New Deal, explained with a video
Green New Deal UK explained by Gina Dowding MEP