Urgent worldwide action needed to combat danger of climate warming

IN November the vital UN Climate Change conference COP26 will be held in Glasgow and there is a realisation amongst climate experts that this is our last big chance to turbocharge (in a green way) action to keep climate warming under the ‘dangerous’ threshold of 1.50C above preindustrial revolution levels.

The Earth’s climate has undergone change before but the current much more rapid change correlates with industrialisation and our growing use of fossil fuels causing rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The effects of global warming are becoming more obvious – a rising sea level caused by the rapidly melting polar ice sheets threatens vast numbers of populated areas, including cities; extremes of temperature will make some areas uninhabitable triggering mass migrations; and a greater frequency and severity of extreme weather events, eg the flash floods and wildfires witnessed earlier this year, will threaten us all. Global warming is also a major factor in biodiversity loss, i.e. greatly accelerated species loss.

The worst effects will impact the young of today and future generations, but we must not leave it to them to pay for our inaction (global warming as a threat started to be talked of in the 1980s!).

COP26 needs to build a consensus amongst nations for much more urgent concerted efforts to tackle this issue, and we need to build a similar consensus amongst the public. Importantly, in parallel with the warnings there should be more discussion/promotion of possible solutions and positive ways forward leading to a better world for us all, including many new green job opportunities.

Central to this is a more rapid switch to green (electric and hydrogen powered) vehicles, buildings, ships and aircraft, less waste, more recyclables, and a full move to sustainable energy sources to power these changes and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and also reduce pollution, improve air quality, and conserve precious resources. In the UK it would also make us much more energy selfsufficient and less vulnerable to volatile energy prices and the whim of unscrupulous foreign countries. We can all help individually in the meantime by reducing our carbon footprints.

Given that we are an island, why don’t we harness wave power and predictable tidal power? In the future fusion reactors may provide us with a cleaner nuclear option.

Boris is talking the talk re COP26 but he needs to walk the walk (or more aptly perhaps run the run) and persuade others to do so also. Our aim should be for a fairer, cleaner, greener and more sustainable country and world.

Julian Hill

Knowle

Steaks are getting higher

I CAN sympathise with letterwriter D Scadding in the Americanisation of our sport and culture by adding an “assist” to our sporting vocabulary.

Once we had the old custom of Mothering Sunday then we had introduced to us the American Fathers Day and blow me down American Grandmothers Day has just been introduced.

Once we had a low key Halloween and now two aisles are devoted to it in every supermarket. Where will marketing end?

The proprietor of the car auctions in Bangers and Cash says it all when he said he once thought of seeing America but had second thoughts as they were all lunatics over there. Their behaviour at elections proves it.

I one saw that Americans poured tomato ketchup over their steaks. There is no hope for them.

It is time they had a royal family and some form of aristocracy as they are insanely jealous of ours. They need to stop hijacking our history – although it might take their minds off chasing the everlasting buck.

The only thing I envy is their choice of national anthem – and their size of steaks.

Graham Best

Bristol

Back to their old ways?

SO, last Monday (October 4) I was one of two potential passengers waiting for the number 73 bus at 10.45am from The Bulldog on Filton Avenue to Parkway station.

We both put our hands out – twice – but soon realised the driver had no intention of stopping, even though the bus was only at less than a quarter capacity.

The driver let go of the steering

wheel and shrugged his shoulders and waved his hands in a nonchalant way as he drove past us, completely ignoring the stop!

The young lady decided at this point that she would need to get a taxi.

I advised the young lady – who was on her way to start a new job for which she would be late – that she advise her employer to the reason for being late on the first day and that she should get a receipt from the taxi and claim the fee back from First Bus.

I on the other hand gave up on my journey and returned home rather than wait for another 30 minutes.

I fear First seem to be going back to their old ways.

Keith G Street

Horfield