Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson.
When Boris Johnson addressed Joe Biden’s climate change summit on Earth Day this week, he was on characteristically playful form. Pointing out that the UK had slashed carbon emissions while increasing growth in recent years, he turned to his favourite Brexit concept of having one’s cake and eating it. “‘Cake-have-eat’ is my message to you,” the PM told 40 fellow world leaders.
As Biden unveiled a historic new pledge to cut the US’s emissions by half by 2030, Johnson announced his own fresh commitment to show some global leadership.
Ahead of the UK’s hosting of the all-important COP26 climate talks in Glasgow in November, it would write into law a plan to cut its emissions by 78% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2035, as recommended by its independent climate change committee.
The event takes place outside the bus station next Saturday (May 1), between 11.30am and 12.30pm. Organiser is Keighley Peace Justice and the Environment Network. Sylvia Boyes, for the network, said: “Despite the universal acceptance that the pandemic and climate change are existential threats, we have seen a pay freeze for frontline workers and a vast increase in the military budget. Does this reflect our priorities in the kind of society we want?” Social distancing will be observed and people are asked to take a placard and hand sanitiser.
Aotearoa/New Zealand: Building links between trade unionists and environmentalism | Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal links.org.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from links.org.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The richest one per cent of the world s population produces double the carbon emission of the poorest 50 per cent combined, according to the UN.
And the so-called polluter elite of the wealthiest 5 per cent have contributed to 37 per cent of the growth in emissions from 1990–2015, experts have calculated.
This disparity in pollution is highlighted by a recent report from the UK-based Cambridge Sustainability Commission on Scaling Behaviour Change.
The document was compiled by 31 environmental impact experts tasked with exploring ways to best scale up actions to tackle carbon emissions.
Actions suggested by the panel include deterring people from frequent flying and driving SUVs as well as convincing the wealthy to better insulate their homes.