- Why we need a new climate assembly Archived Message
Posted by Ian M
on March 11, 2020, 6:54 pm
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Letter in the graun criticising the govt's climate assembly. Note the overture appended about how they've stopped fossil fuel advertising and are supposedly 'editorially independent': ***** https://www.dumptheguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/27/why-we-need-a-new-climate-assembly Why we need a new climate assembly The current Climate Assembly UK is deliberating on a red herring – participants should be deciding not just how, but how quickly, we need to act, say a group of scientists, MPs and campaigners Letters Thu 27 Feb 2020 18.05 GMT Last modified on Thu 27 Feb 2020 18.30 GMT Climate Assembly UK, which enters its third weekend this Friday, is breaking new ground in British democracy. Participants from all walks of life are discussing how the UK will reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Citizens’ assemblies can be transformative. They have been used to great effect in countries such as Ireland, where they paved the way for historic referendums on same-sex marriage and abortion. But while we support the idea of Climate Assembly UK, at its heart is an inconvenient truth: 2050 is too late. The government’s target takes a casual approach to the emergency. But the enemy is at the gates. From flooding in Britain to record-breaking fires in the Amazon and Australia, the dramatic shift in the planet’s climate is already taking its toll. At global level, the 2050 target will mean 1.5C of warming – with a distinct possibility of passing that threshold. Every increment in temperatures brings untold destruction. A world beyond 1.5C is a world of annual heatwaves in Europe, and one in which small island nations will have disappeared. It’s quite a gamble to take on our futures. Even if the world’s governments accept that bet, countries like the UK have a duty to act more quickly. Britain ranks fifth highest globally in terms of its historical emissions. We also have the capacity to turn our economy around more rapidly. What’s more, the current target only accounts for emissions generated on our own soil, sweeping under the carpet all emissions from trade. Climate Assembly UK is deliberating on a red herring. Participants should be deciding not just how, but how quickly, we need to act. Given half a chance, we know the assembly could help us win this fight. Fights, however, can’t be won when you have one hand tied behind your back. We need a new citizens’ assembly that starts from the facts. Dr David Booth School of life sciences, University of Dundee, Dr Gail Bradbrook Extinction Rebellion, Kevin Brennan MP Labour, Stella Creasy MP Labour, Dr Charlie Gardner Lecturer in conservation science, University of Kent, Prof Dave Goulson Professor of biology, University of Sussex, Dr Huw Griffiths Polar marine biologist, Ben Lake MP Plaid Cymru, Chris Law MP SNP, Clive Lewis MP Labour, Sarah Lunnon Extinction Rebellion, Bill McGuire Professor emeritus of geophysical and climate hazards, UCL, Anna McMorrin MP Labour, George Monbiot, Dr Lesley Morrison Retired GP, Chris Newman GP, Alex Penson Senior computational biologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Jamie Peters Director of campaigning impact, Friends of the Earth, Charles Secrett Independent adviser on Green New Deal, Tommy Sheppard MP SNP, Alex Sobel MP Labour; Chair of net zero all-party parliamentary group • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters • Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition We've got an announcement… … on our progress as an organisation. In service of the escalating climate emergency, we have made an important decision – to renounce fossil fuel advertising, becoming the first major global news organisation to institute an outright ban on taking money from companies that extract fossil fuels. In October we outlined our pledge: that the Guardian will give global heating, wildlife extinction and pollution the urgent attention and prominence they demand. This resonated with so many readers around the world. We promise to update you on the steps we take to hold ourselves accountable at this defining point in our lifetimes. With climate misinformation rife, and never more dangerous than now, the Guardian's accurate, authoritative reporting is vital – and we will not stay quiet. We chose a different approach: to keep Guardian journalism open for all. We don't have a paywall because we believe everyone deserves access to factual information, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. Our editorial independence means we are free to investigate and challenge inaction by those in power. We will inform our readers about threats to the environment based on scientific facts, not driven by commercial or political interests. And we have made several important changes to our style guide to ensure the language we use accurately reflects the environmental emergency. The Guardian believes that the problems we face on the climate crisis are systemic and that fundamental societal change is needed. We will keep reporting on the efforts of individuals and communities around the world who are fearlessly taking a stand for future generations and the preservation of human life on earth. We want their stories to inspire hope. We hope you will consider supporting us today. We need your support to keep delivering quality journalism that’s open and independent. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable. Support the Guardian from as little as £1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you. |
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