Sufficient support is needed for victims of climate destruction
ICAMPAIGN on poverty, both home and away. I want my grandchildren, and those of others, to live in a better world rather than a worse one. want a just world where people are not discounted and ignored, as do I expect most (all?) readers of Viewpoints.
Fundamental to this is the idea that if you take or damage something of someone else, especially if you have profited from this, you should pay for it.
I’m not talking about revenge or spite, simply doing the decent thing and recompensing people for their loss and damage.
The Church of England has just found millions of its historical wealth has grown from slavery, and to its credit acknowledges this and is considering what it can do best to repair this sinful legacy of profiteering and exploitation.
Similarly rich countries and corporations (sometimes with far more economic might than entire states) should take responsibility for the damage and losses their profiteering extractive enterprises and actions have had on others.
Sometimes this is a legacy of industrial pollution, destroyed habitats, or skewed agriculture.
Often it is the climate-changing damage caused directly and indirectly as a result of their profit-generating business.
The UN Climate Conference in Glasgow (COP 26) bottled this issue last year and the just finished Bonn Subsidiary Bodies conference has failed once more to clearly put ‘Loss and Damage’ funding on the agenda for COP27.
With this money, poor nations – least responsible for Climate changing emissions – will be able to adapt and survive.
Without we will see more instability, conflict, shortages and global misery.
‘Reparations’ have a bad reputation with those who regard those imposed on Germany at Versailles as responsible for Hitler’s rise to power.
But many favour Russia having to pay for its appalling destruction of Ukraine.
Perhaps we would do well to
distinguish between the Russian people (hoodwinked, perhaps), and their culpable gangster-leadership.
But we shouldn’t let those who can and should pay off the hook when it comes to the life chances of the world’s poorest.
We need an adequate and genuine Loss and Damage fund set up and effectively supported now.
The UK still holds the Climate COP Presidency until it passes to Egypt in November.
We can and should give a lead on Climate Justice NOW.
If the politicians want to champion and conserve this Green and Pleasant Land, their reputation as compassionate, and responsible economically, Loss and Damage is a nettle to grasp.
Ben Ish-Shalom, M15
Lack of toilets is loo-dicrous!
I SYMPATHISE with Jennifer Jamieson, whose experiences meeting up with human faeces (and urine) on the streets of Manchester was reported by the M.E.N.
However, what can one expect with accessible public lavatories in such short supply?
Beyond the town hall extension (currently closed with the town hall renovations) can anyone name one in the city centre open 24/7?
I know the Central Library has facilities, as may have the Art Gallery, and commercial businesses like McDonald’s and pubs let noncustomers nip in and use their loos free, but they shut sometimes and lots of institutions may be sniffy when they see indigent, ‘rough,’ unkempt or under the influence people with bags of possessions approaching their doors.
Perhaps one can go to the toilets in railway stations... if you are near enough and have the silver needed.
But on planet Earth, sometimes people need to use the loo, sometimes at short notice, and sometimes at inconvenient times when facilities aren’t open. And the situation is as bad outside the city centre.
Coun Sam Wheeler may encourage people to get in touch with the council to clean up what they find, but how much better for them not to find it and for people to be catered for by their council.
Looking at the council’s website it’s not clear who has this responsibility, so perhaps Bev Craig as leader and person championing the city further abroad and internationally could pick up the issue and get some decent provision spread around, renovating the locked up blocks that have been abandoned for years, and building where needed.
‘Caught short’, via email
Concert hits the wrong note
I CANNOT believe Trafford council allowed the concert at Old Trafford to blast music out at such a loud volume on Saturday evening (June 11).
It’s an utter disgrace that I had to endure my windows rattling – I could not hear my own TV!
The police didn’t want to know and Manchester council said it was a Trafford problem, yet it’s impossible to phone at such a late hour. I don’t even live close to the stadium!
Ms R. Benson, Whalley Range
Fracking is not the answer
RECENT government statements on fracking have me very worried.
The government is asking for advice on fracking again using the excuse of energy security.
What is the point when the business secretary states that ‘fracking in England would take years of exploration and development before commercial quantities of gas could be produced.’
One of the criteria set by the government for allowing shale gas to be extracted is that it is deemed sustainable. New sources of any fossil fuel are clearly not sustainable because it will exacerbate global warming.
The other criteria set by the
business secretary is that fracking needs to be safe.
It is clearly not – we already know that fracking pollutes water, and now medical research in the US shows it is also linked to premature deaths in older people living close to sites.
Given that fracked gas would be sold at market prices, it will be more expensive than renewable energy because the UK cannot deliver enough to affect world prices.
The UK has rejected fracking before and we should do it again, but it is not reasonable to say no to everything. We should say yes to insulating our homes, yes to better public transport and yes to renewables. Much cleaner.
Sue Nicholson, via email
Reds too slow on transfers
THE transfer window has been open for a week and so far United have once again been slow out of the blocks.
It was thought that with the big changes behind the scenes and a new manager in place earlier than expected that things would be different.
It is difficult to watch Spurs strengthening their squad under the watchful eye of Antonio Conte who was reportedly on United’s shortlist to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Who knows how last season would have panned out if Conte had been appointed instead of the disastrous appointment of an interim manager.
Conte leapfrogged United to propel Spurs into next season’s Champions League which makes a mockery of United’s decision.
Too much time and energy is being wasted in the pursuit of Frenkie De Jong, who has stated many times that he wants to stay at Barcelona.
It would be hard for United fans to feel any love for De Jong if he was forced out of Barcelona.
United need to make a statement of intent and sign Jurrien Timber and Antony who are constantly linked with the club.
Procrastination is a word that comes to mind when looking at United over the last 10 years.
Jack Haynes, Swinton