Huge deal struck but is it enough? 5 takeaways from a dramatic COP29 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp35rrvv2dpo

I found this interesting and reassuring.
Inside the London landmark where they're trying to save the Earth https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crlrxzl6y6lo

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/14/nature-carbon-sink-collapse-global-heating-models-emissions-targets-evidence-aoe

It's not exactly a radical move, but it has finally happened. I received this news release today.

Havant Borough Council declares climate emergency

A climate emergency has been declared by Havant Borough Council during a meeting held of the Full Council on Wednesday 20 November.

Councillors agreed to a motion that commits the council to do everything within its power to take the steps to become a greener borough.

The need for urgent and transformative action has been identified as a priority following a shift in the political balance of the council following the election earlier this year when members of the Labour Party, Liberal Democrat Party and Green Party formed an alliance to take on a new political leadership.

Proposer of the motion, Councillor Grainne Rason, who is Cabinet Lead for Climate Emergency, Environment and Water Quality, said “The risk from extreme weather events, that may have an impact on our residents, businesses, and the environment, is escalating.

“We recognise the urgent threat of climate change to the borough, particularly due to its 56 km coastline, making many areas vulnerable to rising sea levels and flooding. This council has a responsibility to demonstrate leadership within our own estate and in our messaging to residents.”

Both the UK Government and Hampshire County Council declared a climate emergency that aims for net-zero emissions by 2050.

Havant Borough Council will also aim to achieve this through future policies, strategies, and action plans supporting a fair and just transition to a green economy, promoting green jobs, sustainable business practices, and workforce training. The council will also support the efforts of others in their efforts to become net-zero.

What is Net Zero?
Net Zero is cutting our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as close to zero as possible. This means reducing our emissions to avoid adding to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Not all emissions can be reduced to zero, so any that remain can be offset by removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Examples of ways to do this include planting trees, renewable energy generation and by trading in carbon units.


My comment:
I'm not convinced about trading in carbon units. I'm happy to be proved wrong, but it seems to be another way to make money without achieving much and probably producing more greenhouse gases in the process.

Good for her...
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/13/barbados-pm-mia-mottley-donald-trump-climate-meeting-invitation?utm_term=6735e775914bd66495e32bd3f6328108&utm_campaign=DownToEarth&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=greenlight_email

https://theconversation.com/what-trump-can-do-to-reverse-us-climate-policy-and-what-he-probably-cant-change-243129

I was very pleased to see that Boots now recycle foil medication blister packs so I dowloaded the app. They even offer points as a reward. It’s only at limited branches and it’s the most unwieldy scheme I’ve ever encountered. You have to photograph each empty pack and they approve them (or not). Stupid, feel it might be a bit of greenwashing going on here. Has anyone else tried it?

I have seen lots of photos of fungi recently, but not much local, until I found these perfect specimens of parasols. I have since discovered they are edible and, apparently, delicious.

The Daily Mail headline?
Urgent warning to Britons as more than 50 different species of spider are found in a nature reserve - including one that has NEVER been seen there before.

One is only 3mm long and all are harmless.
No wonder nature is declining at an alarming rate.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjdlng5emgzo.amp

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/29/wildlife-trusts-buy-rothbury-estate-in-largest-land-sale-in-england-in-30-years

This should not be a surprise to anyone. There have been warnings for decades and, despite a lot of talk, very little has been done to improve things. There have been moves towards renewable energy and some remarkable tree planting projects, but they have been undermined by increased energy demands, including from more travel, larger and heavier cars, more cruises, more flights and increased deforestation, both in rainforests and nearer to home.

It hasn't been helped by the disinformation campaign by fossil fuel companies to convince the gullible that global warming / climate change / chaos is a hoax and lobbying governments not to implement policies that would harm fossil fuel businesses. And there are still people who say it is all a hoax, either because they are not capable of rational thought or they have a vested interest in profiting from fossil fuels.

As is stated in the article, some of the additional demand for electricity is being met by burning fossil fuels. If the problem was too expensive to do anything about when David Cameron said we needed to "cut the green crap" in 2013, it is more expensive now and solutions will become increasingly expensive in the future because the situation is getting worse.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0d24w28qno

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7n3zyp114o.amp

"Between 2009 and 2023, the RSPB has recorded 1,529 confirmed incidents, involving the illegal persecution of at least 1,344 birds of prey. These include vulnerable and recovering species such as Hen Harriers, White-tailed Eagles, Golden Eagles, Red Kites and Goshawks.

The majority of these incidents are associated with land managed for gamebird shooting where some individuals deliberately target birds of prey to try to maximise the number of gamebirds available to shoot for sport and profit."

It's only sport if the quarry can shoot back.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/birdcrime

Lack of their natural food?
Water quality ?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz6w4n394j7o.amp

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/oct/17/shop-like-our-nan-call-for-supermarket-ban-on-plastic-packaging-for-fresh-goods?CMP=share_btn_url

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/15/the-guardian-view-on-wild-salmon-falling-numbers-point-to-a-deeper-malaise?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

In this year's Big Butterfly Count, just over 935,000 butterflies and day-flying moths were recorded across the UK from 12th July to 4th August, down almost 600,000 on the total for 2023. 9,000 Counts were logged as seeing zero butterflies, the highest in the citizen science programme’s history. Half of all British butterfly species are Red Listed as Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction.

Butterfly Conservation is writing an open letter to Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, calling for the Government to act now for nature by declaring a ‘Nature Emergency’ and banning butterfly-killing neonicotinoid pesticides once and for all, with no exceptions, before it’s too late.

To sign the letter visit: https://butterfly-conservation.org/emergency
Letter sign-ups close on 13th October.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/lifestylegeneral/teacher-wins-first-ever-glasgow-tree-hugging-championships-in-city/ar-AA1rXjUT

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gdnd4je8ko.amp

The Amazon has had its worst forest fires in two decades. More than 62,000 square kilometres have been burned this year already – an area bigger than countries like Sri Lanka or Costa Rica.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgxv8n7wd0o

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/26/government-funded-social-network-attacking-pesticide-critics

And many others

https://youtu.be/dPhKzGx1Sc0?si=kV_nwKP-bw6y-hOC

Part of BBC's Click programme this week is about using ground rock to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, start at 14 min 30 sec: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0023m4d/click-clones-and-phones

Saplings have been grown from the Sycamore Gap tree and are available to communities around the UK.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/hadrians-wall-and-housesteads-fort/trees-of-hope

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cze5759g5e5o

Watch on BBC Iplayer with Paul
Whitehouse

The dirty truth of the muck in our rivers

In it as Margaret Thatcher privatised the water industry she boasted how we’d be “better protected”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/12/pantanal-waterway-project-would-destroy-paradise-on-earth-scientists-warn-aoe

And they seem to have no idea it could add to planet`s problems!!

This will probably not be a surprise to anyone who takes an interest in the environment.

https://www.endsreport.com/article/1889418/water-companies-selling-sludge-fertiliser-containing-banned-forever-chemical-farmers

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200305-why-your-internet-habits-are-not-as-clean-as-you-think
We all realise these days there`s a Carbon Footprint to our computer and mobile usage;this fairly easy-to-read article puts some figures on it and suggests simple ways to reduce your footprint.
I`ve cut down on the emojis in mobile SMS texts since I discovered they charged for each one separately from the text they are in. I`m sure they up your footprint

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/sep/18/butterfly-emergency-declared-as-uk-summer-count-hits-record-low-conservation

I’ve recently upgraded my mobile phone and Apple have at last introduced the long awaited USB-C charging connection (as opposed to their lightning charging connection). This was because of an EU directive. There was hundreds of tons of discarded chargers and leads being dumped into landfill each year and something needed to be done. The USB-C connection has the added bonus of being a universal connector for all phones/tablets etc. the only proviso being , using the correct wattage output plug adaptor for the item being charged. A success story.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gdnd4je8ko.amp

A new one on me, but apparently today is Plastic Overshoot Day, the day when annual plastic production exceeds global capacity to manage it.
We don't appear to be able to manage what we already have, so plastic overshoot day should probably be 1st January. https://plasticovershoot.earth/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/sep/03/uk-methane-hotspots-landfills-last-coalmine

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/31/water-companies-natural-england-sites-special-scientific-interest

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qg52r7jzxo

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/30/country-diary-a-spectacular-summer-for-ragwort-and-thats-no-bad-thing?CMP=twt_b-gdncountrydiary

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/these-trees-can-actually-walk-through-the-forest/articleshow/112604223.cms

https://theconversation.com/investigation-reveals-global-fisheries-are-in-far-worse-shape-than-we-thought-and-many-have-already-collapsed-237306?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=bylinetwitterbutton

The Climate Change Committee’s assessment is that only a third of the emissions reductions required to achieve the country’s 2030 target are currently covered by credible plans. Our 2030 target is the first one set in line with a Net Zero trajectory.

You have probably already heard this. However, I have come across the annual report from the Climate Change Committee which has more detail.
https://www.theccc.org.uk/2024/07/18/uk-off-track-for-net-zero-say-countrys-climate-advisors/

The Committee’s ten recommendations are:

Make electricity cheaper. Removing policy costs from electricity prices will support industrial electrification and ensure the lower running costs of heat pumps compared to fossil-fuel boilers are reflected in household bills.

Reverse recent policy rollbacks. Remove the exemption of 20% of households from the 2035 fossil-fuel boiler installation phase-out, address the gap left by removing obligations on landlords to improve the energy efficiency of rented homes and reinstate the 2030 phase-out of new fossil-fuel car and van sales. The damage of these rollbacks can be limited by quickly reinstating these policies.

Remove planning barriers for heat pumps, electric vehicle charge points and onshore wind.

Introduce a comprehensive programme for decarbonisation of public sector buildings.

Effectively design and implement the upcoming renewable energy CfD auctions. Ensure funding and auction design for the Sixth and Seventh Allocation Rounds are appropriate to deliver at least 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030.

Accelerate electrification of industrial heat. Strengthen the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to ensure that its price is sufficient to incentivise decarbonisation and that support is available for a rapid transition to electric heat across much of industry.

Ramp up tree planting and peatland restoration. Tree planting must be scaled up in the 2020s for abatement to be sufficient for later carbon budgets and Net Zero. There must be no more delays to addressing the barriers to delivery.

Finalise business models for large-scale deployment of engineered removals.
Finalise and open to the market the business models for engineered removals.

Publish a strategy to support skills. Support workers in sectors which need to grow or transition and in communities that may be adversely impacted.

Strengthen NAP3 with a vision that sets clear objectives and targets and reorganise government adaptation policy. Adaptation must become a fundamental aspect of policymaking across all departments and be integrated into other national policy objectives.

Progress report to Parliament
https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/progress-in-reducing-emissions-2024-report-to-parliament/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/09/biomass-power-station-produced-four-times-emissions-of-uk-coal-plant-says-report?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&twclid=2-pssws6ktpdn2tljkc6mcdeay

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/this-startup-is-using-dead-leaves-to-make-paper-without-cutting-trees/

https://climate.movementforgood.com/index.php?cn=279000&ct=environment_and_climate&utm_source=Tree+Council+Community&utm_campaign=fac51da7d3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_08_08_01_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-fac51da7d3-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D#nominateACharity

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clmydgke2mko.amp

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/08/watchdog-launches-investigation-into-defra-over-approval-of-bee-killing-pesticide-under-tories

Alastair Driver (Director of Rewilding Britain): "Very important that as many people as possible sign this petition to ban indiscriminate pesticides. The dearth of insects is a major issue not only for the natural environment but for farming and horticulture. We cannot keep making excuses every time."
https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/ban-bee-killing-pesticides?source=EM&subsource=NBREBEPEEM03GX&utm_source=Thank+you+email+share&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Pardot+Bees+Petition+-+Feb+22+[BW]++PE&utm_term=

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/20/fossil-fuel-use-reaches-global-record-despite-clean-energy-growth?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Something positive - or at least optimistic.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/14/english-elm-hybrids-disease-busting?utm_source=SubscriberCRM+Integration&utm_campaign=12c7388fb0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_25_03_01_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_74965a44a4-12c7388fb0-88473949

Ridiculously lenient fine.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmjj5gl6m0po

https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/forever-chemicals-plastic-uk-rivers-b2561466.html