What do you do with climate change deniers? There’re like the folk who persisted with the flat Earth society. Everyone knows they exist but I’m sure most of us would not give them much time. Being door stepped by the folk from the wacky fringes can be entertaining. No more. What’s cranky is that previously reputable, and I use that term advisedly, UK political parties like the Conservative Party are adopting and promoting the believe framework of the wacky fringes. Now, I’m all for “free speech” as far as it doesn’t harm others, but this is getting strange to say the least. Following the coat tails of those who espouse extreme opinion is a road to political oblivion in the UK. At least that’s been our history.
[Oblivion also being a Science Fiction film that’s enjoyable to watch even if it does focus too much on one character. Reminds us how important water is to life on Earth].
If I put myself in the shoes of the climate change deniers, hard to do I know, then I might say that the extreme heat experienced this week is just the normal long-term variation of our weather or the Sun getting agitated or God’s will. Nothing to see hear. I’d hope to be shot down quickly with those flimsy arguments.
It’s a wise move to stay up to date with the weather forecast at the moment. A summer heat wave doesn’t last forever, we hope, even if it does last long enough to cause immense problems.
Recollections of 1976’s summer get an airing on social media. For those of us who enjoyed that year there’s a tendency to normalise around that fact that we survived the heat 50 years ago. For me that was great fun as a fit and heathy 16-year-old. Having my own roadworthy transport for the first time and being easily able to get to the Dorset coast[1]. The year was one of leaving my schooling, working the summer at home on the farm and the starting an engineering apprenticeship. Going from sweltering hot classrooms and exams, to stacking and packing more haybales than it’s possible to count, to sweating in a machine shop with plate glass windows down one side.
If we’d heeded the warmings, with more drive, five decades ago maybe climate change wouldn’t be such a dangerous condition as it’s developing into. Predictions are not good. The legacy mine and past generations are leaving is an extremely poor one.
This is what shocks me about the “head in the sand” attitude to fossil fuels. The Conservative Party and alike, is insane with its idiotic “drill baby drill” policy. I accept that the transition away from fossil fuels will take time and can be a challenging road to take. Trying to reverse the process is beyond stupid.
Policy needs to focus on making substantial changes to our daily routines. There’s nothing sacred about past working practices. Pity those who work in jacket and tie in unairconditioned offices a rigid 9-to-5 routine. As did I, once in a portacabin on the edge of an airfield.
Climate change is real. The data is in. Being daunted by the calamitous possibilities is also a dead end. Yes, the scientist’s scenarios can be overwhelming. Too much detailed information can be as bad as too little.
We have agency. We can act. Every act makes a difference. Even the small ones matter.
John Vincent 