Blog
Technological Solutions
In the last post, when considering flying, I raised the issue of technological solutions which would enable us to continue and the same level of air travel or even expand this industry. We could continue to develop technologies which would reduce the carbon emissions from flying itself (like other industries there would still be related emissions e.g. in manufacturing planes).
Further Along the Trail
I ended the last post with the point that although a vapour trail may obscure the sun, it is obvious in the sky. Sometimes, just because a way forward appears clear, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is the right way. I don’t know if you have had an experience of trying to follow a path on the ground where what has been clear initially turns out to be frustratingly unclear.
Follow the Trail
Through the middle of April most of the UK enjoyed very settled weather with a great deal of sunshine and pure, blue sky. This has probably been a mixed blessing as far as the lockdown has been concerned. On the one hand, we have had the opportunity to go out and exercise without needing to worry too much about the weather forecast.
Not My Department
Over the last month or so, there has been a new feature of British national life, namely the daily Downing Street press briefing. I don’t always hear or see it, although it does often coincide with my return from work; nor do I always find it terribly enlightening, at least perhaps not in the ways it is intended to be. It has, however, fed into some of my thoughts about climate change.
Season Turning
Over the past month or so, I have been one of the citizens of the UK in lockdown. That has certainly had an impact on our lives but I have been leaving the house regularly, both for work and for exercise. I think some of the enforced changes have given life a different rhythm, but perhaps they have also created a space in which I can think about normal rhythms of life.
Enemy Within
I’ve already begun to write about topics which I am linking with climate change, although they have emerged from thinking about the coronavirus pandemic. When talking about the coronavirus, there has been much reporting of “defeating” the virus. I’m not sure that this always makes a lot of sense, but it illustrates how this crisis is broadly seen.
Barriers and Boundaries
During the coverage of the coronavirus over the last few weeks, I have been very thoughtful about the virus’ ability to cross the globe. Admittedly, that is not down to any capacity that the virus itself has other than to use human beings as a host. It therefore owes more to how we as human beings choose to organise ourselves than to its own characteristics.
Fighting Fire with Fire
Since the Australian fires of some weeks ago, I have felt that there is much to be considered in what has been happening. At the same time there has been a part of me that doesn’t want to write anything about them. I have wondered why it is that I have felt able to write about UK floods and yet it has been more difficult to find something to say about the bush fires in Australia.
Holding a Steady Mirror
It seems at the moment as if there are items of news reporting every day which relate to climate change. Some of them have obvious links, but others less so. One of the obvious ones is when there is coverage of the “climate strikes”. Yesterday a gathering in Bristol in the UK was highlighted. I would guess this was mainly because of Greta Thunberg’s attendance.
Uplands and Lowlands
There have been many times over the last few weeks when I have thought about writing about flooding. We are now in the last week in February and figures I have seen in the last few days suggest that some parts of the UK have already received double their average rainfall for this month with a number of days to go (and it is still raining!).