Disconnect between people and authority

I reflect after being selected to spend ten days in the Glasgow COP26 inner sanctum.

Alok Sharma deserves the accolades for agreements on coal, methane, and deforestation, but we are off the pace.

His leadership and the oratory of President Obama were the only signs of statesmanship in a barren global political landscape.

The developing world showed its true colours by not having met the 2009 commitment for $100bn for the undeveloped (the equivalent amount the UK alone spent in under three months for the pandemic).

Those that polluted the least are affected the most.

The amount was recommitted but as the Marshall Islands said: No more words but action, we disappear at 2 degrees.

A call to measure wellbeing not GDP and address inequality as a way forward was applauded.

The mood is changing – a report showed an ever-increasing global population worried about climate change (13 per cent increase even through COVID).

Cities and councils globally are losing legal battles for not having plans commensurate with stated emergency policy.

The young are angrier and more disaffected by lack of climate action.

The most revealing result was that globally individuals have little idea what the priority for personal action should be.

Universally, ‘recycling’ was number one when it’s not – reducing consumption and diet for example are way more impactful. What of RBWM citizens and council?

The chair of the corporate plan scrutiny panel could not support a wellbeing goal because anyone can wake up feeling good or bad is so grossly uninformed.

The embarrassing and potentially illegal two-word statement in the Borough Local Plan that climate change will be given ‘material consideration’ in planning decisions, should simply be unacceptable to all of us.

I understand an RBWM cabinet member attended COP, I wonder if they can influence the leadership to get the emergency understood.

The week before COP I arranged for my university to train officers at RBWM in climate issues through a self-determination fun programme which is accredited.

This, an action after battles to get RBWM to accept a 1.5-degree plan, which it finally did.

However, we must move faster than council speed.

I contemplate how to install a similar training as an option for every citizen in the borough to address assumptions, knowledge, prejudice, and fake news mobilising opinion and actions.

We would be the first citizen collective, likely worldwide, to achieve this and be informed to dictate that our corporate and local plans represent our values and protect our planet.

We are way off achieving 1.5. Individually we can do something now for our children and grandchildren.

Our knowledge, vote and pockets have never been more powerful.

PAUL STRZELECKI Berries Road

Cookham