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tanyamercerFiled under: Environment, Recycling, Waste | Tags: Cardiff Council, Christmas Tree Recycling, Christmas Waste, Delia Smith, Oxfam, The Woodland Trust, Using Leftover Food
So you’ve survived eating cold turkey sandwiches all week, you’ve just about eaten you body weight in cheese and you’re almost glad to see the back of a mince pie for at least another 11 months. We certainly get through a lot of it over the Christmas period, and many of us will now be thinking of our healthy and energetic start to 2010. In this interim week-long limbo between Christmas and New Year, its easy to laze in front of yet another vintage film on ITV and forget all about the growing mountain of waste outside your back door.
So what easy things can be done to combat some of this leftover stuff? You mastered your surprised ‘oh isn’t this a lovely present face’ on Christmas morning when you opened that hideous jumper from Grandma, or received the John Grisham thriller you’ve no intention of ever reading. How on earth can you offload them now everyone’s gone back home and you’re left with a pile of tat you don’t want or need? After tiring of my gifts after about 5 minutes, I went for a trawl on the internet to explore ways one can do exactly that – although at first I stumbled across this reworking of a timeless Christmas Carol!
Having never yet hosted my own Christmas dinner, I too am oblivious to what happens to all that leftover stuff after a Christmas with all the trimmings. It seems for the most resourceful, any leftover food is shoehorned into the subsequent days dinners – and I’m not just talking about those aforementioned never-ending turkey sandwiches. Delia Smith, love her or hate her, has a number of recipe ideas utilizing the leftovers from Christmas lunch ranging from Turkey Soup to a Stilton omelette (so maybe i could manage a bit more cheese then!).
No doubt in the coming weeks every street will become littered with the skeletal remains of the once beloved Christmas tree. Now with pride of place in the heart of every cosy living room the length and breadth of the country, soon to be standing naked and bare on the end of each street corner. Cardiff Council can spare us all the rather depressing January sight that is the christmas tree graveyard as they offer a Christmas Tree recycling service. Well, I may have dressed that up a bit, as their website advises you to remove the decorations, chop it up and whack it in your green wheelie bin. The same can also be said of that real christmas holly wreath you had hanging on your front door, the boughs of holly with which you decked the halls and the cheeky mistletoe you hid at the top of the stairs.
In terms of recycling all your Christmas cards and wrapping paper, The Woodland Trust are collecting cards at all M&S, WH Smith and TK Maxx stores throughout January. And good news with this is, not only will they be recycling and making new paper but they are also pledging to plant 12,000 new trees, the location of which you can decide by clicking the link above. Wrapping paper needs to go in your green recycling bags – its estimated that 32 square miles of wrapping paper could end up in UK bins after Christmas!
Finally, back to that dodgy board game, trashy novel or putrid smelling aftershave you received from Auntie Phyllis. Well the charity shop could well be the answer for those who are more ethically minded – here’s Oxfam’s rough guide to the kind of goods they accept. Otherwise you could always whack it up on eBay!
For more information take a look at Cardiff Council’s Christmas recycling guide.
Filed under: Climate Change, Future Thinking | Tags: Copenhagen Summit, Dai the Blue Dragon, Ed Miliband, G77, Gordon Brown, Kyoto Protocol, Legally Binding Treaty, Lumumba Di-Aping, Welsh Assembly
So it’s all over and descended into absolute chaos, but is it really that suprising? It wasn’t only inside that things started to take a turn for the worse last week, as talks stalled police and activists clashed on the streets surrounding the Bella Centre in Copenhagen.
It now transpires that China chucked the largest spanner in the works and is getting most of the blame for the demise of COP15, alongside America who according to Gordon Brown, showed a lack of ‘ambition’. Without the superpowers agreeing to anything meaningful or tangible, the weak agreement that has been signed could place a legally binding deal in serious jeopardy. When world leaders were gathered at the summit on Friday to ‘sign’ on the dotted line, in fact they were thrashing out a weaker international consensus which merely capped global temperature rise by 2 degrees and agreed remuneration packages and aid for countries who face the immediate onslaught of climate change.
Here’s the Channel 4 news coverage from last night. Keep watching as the live interview between Ed Miliband and George Monbiot is particularly compelling – it starts just before the 4 minute mark.
Vodpod videos no longer available.Crucially, no date was set for a peak in carbon emissions, no date was set for any of it to become legally binding, nor were any international emissions targets defined. However much activism and pressure was placed upon world leaders to reach a deal, could we really have expected anything more in just two weeks? Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband are now insistent that the procedural process for the talks must change, as negotiations involving 193 separate countries made for a diplomatic nightmare.
They say that some of the smaller nations were effectively holding the whole summit to ransom, as talks stalled last week for hours at a time when smaller countries threw their toys out of the pram over the developed world not taking enough responsibility for their historical carbon emissions. This meant hours of precious negotiating was wasted and talks had to continue until well after midnight on a number of occasions to make up for lost time. It was also probably part of the reason why a hurried and weaker agreement was signed in the dying moments of the conference so that the fortnight’s talks were not deemed as a total failure. This certainly needs to be addressed in time for next years summit in Mexico, as although it is commendable that the UN ensures every nation has its chance to speak, this is evidently not the forum in which such a discussion should take place. How can a fortnight’s worth of negotiating be enough to hear each and every one of the 193 countries represented, with over 25,000 delegates in attendance, with such an emotive issue on the negotiating table?
This can be demonstrated by last-minute comments made by the Sudanese delegate Lumumba Di-Aping, who likened the final accord to the Holocaust. This was quickly denounced by European leaders and however inappropriate it shows the frustrations of the G77 and developing world that the richer nations could not get together to agree lasting targets based upon their previous behaviour.
Last week saw Carwyn Jones on behalf of the Welsh Assembly pledge to help the Mbale region of Uganda prepare for climate change, but unfortunately this is small fry on such an international stage. Such measures should be adopted by other larger developed nations rather than keeping their own interests top priority. This is only demonstrated by China, America, South Africa, India and Brazil breaking away from the main talks to forge a watered down strategy that better suited their economies rather than the environment or consideration of the most vulnerable of nations.
So what will happen now? Well it’s important that international momentum does not falter in the hangover of the conference, although this looks bound to happen. Also, does achieving this ‘weak’ agreement stand in the way of further definition of a legally binding political treaty? With talk of countries making voluntary targets, it’s no wonder the developing nations kicked up so much of a stink in the first week of the summit that the Kyoto agreement should still stand. Just because COP15 is over, it does not remove the obvious challenges we face with Climate Change. World leaders seem to have sidestepped the main issues and chosen short-term gain over long-term probability. It is now back in the hands of NGO’s, International Environment groups and campaigners to lobby world leaders to pull their proverbial fingers out, as there certainly is no planet b.
Filed under: Climate Change, Transport | Tags: Cardiff Council, CO2, Copenhagen Summit, On Your Bike - Free Ride Scheme, Sustrans Cymru
In light of events surrounding the Copenhagen Climate Summit, there’s a growing public awareness of the threats posed by climate change. But is this translating into effective action in Cardiff? The city has been making a concerted effort to reduce CO² emissions and combat climate change through a project aptly named ‘sustainable Cardiff’. Selected as Wales’ first “sustainable travel city” by the Assembly Government, a £28.5 million scheme aims to reduce congestion and pollution and promote public transport. Part of the money has already been invested into providing free cycle hire, bus travel around the city centre, and improved bike and walking routes. The money has also given a final go ahead for the Pont-y-Werin (translation: Bridge for the people) pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Ely river between Cardiff’s sports village and Penarth.
On your bike
Transport, particularly private cars are widely acknowledged as one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions. Scientists say the need to change the way we travel is becoming ever more pressing. 
Cardiff Council have introduced a ‘keep cardiff moving’ travel plan that aims to cut car journeys and encourage the public to use buses, cycle, walk, or share car journeys at the very least. In terms of total impact on climate change, driving is thought to release around six times more CO² emissions than flying and seven times more than ships and boats. Cars alone create nearly half of our total transport emissions.
Changing perceptions
Lee Waters, Director of sustainable travel charity, Sustrans Cymru says achieving a sustainable travel plan in Cardiff will only be successful if people change their perceptions. “People need to be shown that there are alternatives rather than using a car all the time. We need to encourage people to use their cars less and choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment’. Listen below to Lee Waters, Director of Sustrans Cymru on ‘False Perceptions’…
“We need to break down this car culture and realise that it’s quicker and healthier to get around the city on a bike or walk.” Critical Mass is a peaceful gathering that wishes to see less car-dominated cities and more people cycling. On the first Saturday of every month, bikers depart from the steps of the Cardiff Museum at 11am and cycle en-masse around the city centre to raise awareness of cyclists in Cardiff.
‘Cardiff Cycling Campaign’ join the event every month – they are an organisation that promote cycling and are bidding for improved cycle routes and a cleaner transport environment. Cardiff Council claim “Cardiff is becoming an increasingly cycle-friendly city with 80km of cycle routes”. However, Cardiff Cycling Campaign argue ‘some of these cycle routes are no more than lines on the map, with nothing but blue “cycling permitted” signs to show that bikes are allowed on the road.’ They are currently campaigning for cycling access through the new St Davids 2 development, the A470, the Cogan Spur, and the Western Cycling Corridor.
On Your Bike – Free Ride Scheme (OYBIKE)
Cardiff residents and visitors who register with the Cardiff Bike Scheme can hire a bike from bike stations in 10 locations in Cardiff city centre and Cardiff Bay.
Users have to register online and pay an £18 annual fee or £5 a week to use the bikes, which are free for the first 30 minutes and have a small charge after that. Delme Bowen, Councillor for Traffic and Transportation says the new OYBIKE scheme which started in September has so far successfully seen a monthly increase in usage within Cardiff. Have a listen below:
I thought I would have a go at Cardiff’s new Bike scheme. Watch the video below to view my experience.
There’s mixed opinion in Cardiff. Some people think it’s a great idea whilst others need a little more convincing…
Lee Waters says ‘the OYBike scheme in Cardiff is still only on a very modest scale compared with similar programmes in Copenhagen or Paris. In Cardiff, there are only about 70 bikes and 9 drop off points. However he also points out that thirty years ago Copenhagen had the same level of cycling that Cardiff has today. Now, over a third of all commuting journeys in the Danish capital are by bike. Let’s hope Cardiff has the potential to achieve the same.
Filed under: Environment, Renewable Energy, Wind Energy | Tags: Aberdare, Department for Energy and Climate Change, Neath, Nuon Renewables, Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy Project, Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf, wind farm
Nuon Renewables’ final layout for their proposed wind farm in an area of forest adjacent to Aberdare has been submitted to the Department for Energy and Climate Change.
The Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy project will be built on land which is currently owned by the Welsh Assembly Government between Aberdare and Neath and to the north of Maerdy, Treorchy and Glyncorrwg.
After extensive public consultation there have been some amendments to the initial proposals. Originally there were to be 112 turbines in total, yet this has been reduced to 84. Also some of the turbines have been sited in alternative locations to better suit the landscape and surrounding views.
Each turbine will measure 145 metres, and if developed the developers say the array could generate enough power to meet between 22 and 33% of electricity demand in the Rhondda Cynon Taf and Neath/Port Talbot area.
For photomontage views of what the wind farm will look like from around the area, check out this map.
For more information visit the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy project’s website.
Filed under: Renewable Energy, Wind Energy | Tags: Aberdare, Afan Valley, Community Wind Farm, Cynon Valley, Labour, Mick Bates, Neath Valley, Nuon Renewables, Renewable Energy, Rhondda Valleys, VESTRI foundation, Welsh Liberal Democrats, Windpower Wales
Following on from Chris’ comment a few weeks ago, I went down to Aberdare to do a little more investigating into the wind farm proposals in the valleys.
“What are your views on the community wind farm projects?” Cue blank expression and furtive glance. Most local people just nodded along with interest as we explained the topic of wind turbines in their area, despite being unaware of all the details. However, as conversation progressed, the majority response was a resounding “yes” to supporting the community schemes.
These schemes were launched between January and March of this year, throughout Cynon Valley, Afan, Neath and the Rhondda Valleys. Nuon Renewables set up a comprehensive consultation programme within local communities on proposals for a large scale wind energy project. With plans to have over 100 wind turbines up and running by 2013, the community engagement factor was key to their success. By allowing communities to have a say and to even take part in the design stage of the project, we think this could serve as a positive force for changing attitudes within communities.
Drop-in sessions were held in Aberdare, Cymmer, Glynneath, Hirwaun, Maerdy, Neath, Tonmawr and Treorchy to hear local views. A recent survey found that 73% are supportive of more wind energy schemes in Wales. The fundamental aim behind opening up to the public in this way is a forward-thinking and inspiring one and will hopefully take us to a period when people independently support renewable energy.
However, the reality of the situation remains that not enough people know about wind energy, as was proved by our day in Aberdare. Despite the thrust of information that has been generated, those who have no prior interest would be unlikely to peruse letters detailing upcoming plans to build turbines. Even the drop-in sessions would appear an effort for those unaware of the issues.
Therefore, with no knowledge and consequently no involvement, it is much easier to cast the letter aside and to decide that a turbine’s ugliness or inconvenience is the most important worry. The point to make is that people generally disagree with wind turbines when they are not entirely clued up on the subject. One local man we spoke to in Aberdare, Hywell Williams, actually said: “I thought that they were not an efficient source of energy”. Ideally he should already know that many communities have the potential to generate 5MW each; it all makes a huge long-term difference.
Mick Bates, Assembly Member of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, explains why Wales has failed to meet the 2010 wind energy targets: “It is down to cowardice. All this could have been done but politicians haven’t done enough because people don’t like the look of turbines.” If the message about ever-decreasing renewable energy was more hard-hitting, then aesthetics and noise would not be prioritized issues.
Regular leaflets, a newsletter or even a magazine could be circulated to households explaining about renewable energy on a general level. Workshops or groups could be set up to inform people and local radio, television and even the educational system could become involved. After all, it is our children who will one day either maintain or drop the push for renewable energy. The community projects need to be more than just part of a plan for one wind farm in south Wales but current as part of a daily lifestyle.
A promising scheme launched very recently, is one aiming to offer communities financial incentives. Windpower Wales has signed an agreement with the Board of the VESTRI foundation and £3000 will be invested in local needs for every turbine installed. People must remember that there is less government money available at the moment so this is surely an effective way to improve local services and avoid raising taxes. Everything remains in the favour of the people. It is just a case of letting them know.
Of course, the battle to inform people correctly can only be entirely successful when fought on a national level. Allowing an environmentally friendly voice to speak out more regularly in the media, pushing the promotion of wind farms and making people sit up and understand the facts without the bias of an opposition butting in; these are the main remedies for success.
This, in the big picture, can only be achieved when we gain strong political support from the Labour UK government. However a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step and community projects are definitely a firm step in the right direction.
Perhaps by persevering to eliminate those blank expressions, we can hope to rely on a continuing support for renewable energies in the future. A struggle today will lead to an easier, safer and more efficient tomorrow.
Filed under: Climate Change, Protest | Tags: Copenhagen Summit, Friends of the Earth Cymru, London, Oxfam Cymru, Protest, The Wave
As promised, below is the podcast/ radio documentary on last weeks Climate Change demonstration in London. Many thanks to those who contributed, including Haf Elgar from Friends of the Earth Cymru, Luned Jones from Oxfam Cymru and the Austin family from Merthyr Tydfil. Also included is a slideshow so it all makes a bit more sense!
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Filed under: carbon emissions, Climate Change, Future Thinking | Tags: carbon emissions, Climate Change, ClimateGate, COP15, Copenhagen Summit, Environment Minster Jane Davidson, First Minister Carwyn Jones, Gordon Brown, Met Office, Welsh Assembly
Right well I’ve been speaking about the build up a fair bit but have yet to actually talk about what is going on at COP15. It seems the jargon busters are at work and negotiations are truly in full swing, and the enormity of what needs to be agreed is becoming apparent. The BBC World Service have created this interesting article on where every country stands in relation to its Carbon emissions and future carbon planning, which contextualises what needs to happen in Denmark.
Despite pledges to the tune of £1.2 billion being made by Gordon Brown to help developing nations adapt to climatic changes, it appears that reaching a singular global deal, or text, is looking difficult. Poorer nations feel that they should not have to reduce their carbon emissions and it should only be those who were part of the previous Kyoto protocol who should make massive reductions. There has also been controversy with yet more leaked documents, this time the draft Danish text setting out their plan B if negotiations don’t go according to plan.
With regard to last weeks ‘ClimateGate’ debacle, it was interesting this week when the Met Office announced that the last decade has been the hottest on record. That certainly should douse the spurious claims of climate change deniers that there is no such thing as global warming. And not only that, but next year is also predicted to being the hottest year yet experienced in modern history. Alongside this new research which seems has been perfectly timed to counter the leaked emails from the University of East Anglia, the Met Office have also produced some stark projections for what will happen if global temperatures were to rise by 2 degrees and then 4 degrees centigrade.
So what will week two of the summit bring? Well the leaked draft text is part of the way there but what is looking like a two tier agreement will only exacerbate the disparity between rich and poor. With Environment Minster Jane Davidson and new First Minister Carwyn Jones in Copenhagen rubbing shoulders with their international counterparts, can they persuade other larger nations to take Wales’ lead with the ambitious carbon reduction targets set out by the Welsh Assembly?
As more ideas are thrashed out WGD will try to get in touch with some people who are in Copenhagen and see if they can give an insight into what is happening first hand.
Filed under: Environment, Future Thinking, Protest | Tags: Bute Park, Bute Parks Alliance, Cardiff, Champion Tree status, Councillor Nigel Howells, Heritage Lottery Fund, Professor Kevin Morgan
The park is a popular retreat for Cardiff’s residents and visitors. It offers somewhere to escape the busy hubbub of the city centre. Somewhere for people to stroll on a Sunday afternoon. Somewhere to walk the dog or go for a jog.
It is always, whatever the weather, a hive of activity.
Cardiff Castle and Bute Park
And it has been this way since 1947 when a significant area of the Bute Park grounds was given to the people of Cardiff by the fifth Marquess of Bute.
Presentation of Bute Park 1947
Since then it has been expanded and developed. A variety of rare and ornamental trees have been planted to form the Bute Park Arboretum. Forty eight of these trees now have Champion Tree status – for being the biggest or best example of their species in the UK.
The park has won numerous green awards for its sustainable development and management.
But recently, Cardiff Council has been criticised for its proposed developments of the park. A group of local residents and academics have formed a group – the Bute Parks Alliance – to campaign against the Council’s developments.
Last week tree specialists starting felling 21 of Bute Park’s nationally significant trees. The felling is part of the £5.6 million Bute Park Restoration Plan.
Funded by over £3.1 million pounds from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the plan is to restore some of the important historic features within the park, including the medieval Blackfriars site and the Victorian animal wall. The council also hopes to provide new facilities for visitors and improve accessiblity to the park.
As part of this work the council is building a new bridge into the park from North Road. The council says the £1.4m constuction will direct heavy articulated lorries away from the busiest parts of the park and give them better access to the nursery in the centre of the park. But local residents say the bridge will destroy an important part of the park and allow more traffic into the area.
The council says the trees need to be felled because they are diseased or dead. According to the council, the trees have been independently surveyed and recommended for removal on arboricultural grounds.
Tree management work in Bute Park
But Professor Kevin Morgan, an expert in city development and chair of the Bute Parks Alliance, says he’s concerned there hasn’t been enough research into this.
The Bute Parks Alliance is also concerned that the council are removing healthy trees. Campaigners say they are suspicious that some of the trees are positioned so close to the controversial new bridge and the road leading to the nursery.
I asked Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Parks, if there was any truth behind this accusation.
Councillor Howells says the bridge is an important part of the park’s development. He believes it will reduce vehicle mileage in the park and direct traffic away from the popular area around the north gate.
But Professor Morgan thinks there has not been enough sustainable planning behind the bridge. He believes that the bridge development has been led instead by the council’s desire to cater for big events in Cardiff.
The next stages of development for the park will begin in the spring with the restoration of the animal wall.
Racoons on the animal wall that borders part of Bute Park
Developments will then continue with the conservation and preservation of the medieval Blackfriars site, preserved sections of the nineteenth century planted layout and the twentieth century Arboretum.
The stone circle in Bute Park
In addition, new visitor facilities will be provided, including a training and education centre, better seating, path surfaces and signage, improved visitor information, public toilets and refreshment outlets.
Professor Morgan says he hopes the future developments of the park will balance ecological, social and cultural needs in consultation with local people.
There are many aspects of this project that local residents support. Improved interpretation and facilities throughout the park and the restoration of its historical features are welcome developments.
But many local people are alarmed that despite the opposition and campaigning the bridge is still going ahead. They are suspicious that the council is not listening to their concerns and a distrust of the council has started to develop. Many people feel the decisions taken over the bridge have not considered the longevity of the park’s tranquillity and character.
It is, for them, a bridge too far.
To listen to the full interviews with Councillor Nigel Howells and Professor Kevin Morgan, please click on the links below.
Councillor Howells
Professor Kevin Morgan
Filed under: Climate Change, Environment, Future Thinking, Protest, Uncategorized | Tags: 10 Downing Street, BBC News, Big Ben, Cardiff, Climate Change, Climate Research Unit, ClimateGate, Copenhagen, Copenhagen Summit, Dai the Blue Dragon, demonstration, Ed Miliband, Friends of the Earth, Gordon Brown, Houses of Parliament, Iraq, London, Oxfam, Palestine, Protest, Sky News, Stop Climate Chaos Cymru Coalition, The Co-op, The Wave, Trafalgar Square, twitterfeed, University of East Anglia, Welsh Blue Dragon, Westminster
This is the last call for the 7.00am bus from Cardiff next stop…
Despite a very early start and it being a pretty dismal December day, people turned out in droves to march on the Houses of Parliament in London to demand action on controlling Climate Change.
The morning started for me with an early coach ride laid on by The Co-operative from Cardiff where I met a very friendly bunch of people from around South East Wales. I asked Christian, who’s a social worker from Cardiff, why he forfeited his lie in for a day of demonstrating.
After shamelessly plugging this blog I set about my mammoth task of documenting the day, which you may have seen on our twitterfeed and you can also listen to in the podcast/documentary that will be on the site by the end of the week.
… London Grosvenor Square
When we arrived in London, Dai the Blue Dragon emerged from his cave (well the underpass off Park Lane) to join the throng of people gathered for The Wave rally and march which would set off from Grosvenor Square.
At one o’clock the procession of blue began to snake its way through central London bringing traffic to a standstill and leaving tourists and onlookers bemused on the pavement. Bands played, drums were beaten, as we passed The Ritz and Picadilly Circus in a steady trickle towards our final destination, Westminster bridge.
Despite the numbers and strong feeling amongst campaigners, the day’s event passed by without trouble, except for a handful of climate change deniers who shouted abuse from outside the cordon as the procession reached Trafalgar Square.
Who represented Wales at ‘The Wave’?
I joined campaigners from the Stop Climate Chaos Cymru Coalition which included representatives from Oxfam and Friends of the Earth, and asked them why taking part in The Wave was important. I spoke to Haf Elgar, a campaigner for Friends of the Earth Cymru, who has been planning Wales’ presence at The Wave for months. I asked what she thought about the ‘ClimateGate’ scandal at the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia.
I also spoke to Luned Jones, who is a campaign officer for Oxfam Cymru who I managed to tear away from leading the welsh Stop Climate Chaos brigade for a mini interview. I asked her about the policing of the event.
On that note, one policeman confessed how he was glad to be at a protest which he could actually sympathise with, and how the atmosphere was more reminiscent of a carnival than a highly charged political rally.
The culmination of the day’s event was ‘The Wave’ itself, where by 3pm the line had completely encircled parliament. When Big Ben bonged three times, 50,000 pairs of hands painted blue or snug within gloves waved frantically towards the Palace of Westminster. Right on cue the heavens opened; what a great irony.
By three the protest was over and we were shepherded to the buses. Cheers for campaigning, now go home please! If there were a competition for the best protest declaration, Dai the Dragon would have come first. He got a lot of media attention and earned his spot on Sky News, BBC national news and BBC Online on Saturday. When he crossed the line we had shouts of ‘well done Wales’- we felt like we had run a marathon.
Was it all worth it?
The question is how succesful was the demonstration? It certainly gained plenty of media attention and recognition from our government, with Gordon Brown inviting 24 Stop Climate Chaos representatives to 10 Downing Street afterwards. Ed Miliband was also getting involved at the start of the protest down in Grosvenor Square doing interviews from the top of the media bus. Whether it will influence the politicians at the Copenhagen summit still remains to be seen.
I think its useful however to put the numbers into context. Fifty thousand people is a lot, but not extraordinary – you only have to look at the Anti War rallies in 2003 where an estimated one million people took to the streets in opposition to the invasion of Iraq.
Arguably, the threat of imminent war is more real than the omnipresent and invisible threat that Climate Change poses. In the developed world, and especially northern hemisphere, we are yet to see any lasting effects of climate change; it’s the poorest nations and far away shores who are suffering first. Yet climate change will affect everybody eventually and could have catastrophic consequences. The fact that the amassed crowd is representative of only 1,240th of the population of Britain is alarming.
A few of my colleagues went out into Cardiff today to randomly ask shoppers about what they thought of the Copenhagen Summit starting. Many people busy doing their Christmas chopping gave blank expressions and didn’t know a thing about what they were being asked. Other cynical people who had heard of the summit thought it was just the politicians’ excuse to ‘go on a jolly’.
I hate to end on a pessimistic note as you couldn’t help but feel upbeat after spending the day with like-minded environmentally aware people at ‘The Wave’. Unfortunately it seems that back in the real wide world such progressive thinkers are in the minority.
Filed under: Climate Change | Tags: BBC Radio 4, carbon emissions, Climate Change, ClimateGate, Climatic Research Unit, CO2, Copenhagen Summit, CRU, Forum for the Future, John Humphreys, Jonathan Porritt, Phil Jones, Philip Stott, Saudi Arabia, The Huffington Post, UN, University of East Anglia, University of London
What a perfectly timed scandal. With days until the Copenhagen summit, the ramifications resulting from the leaked emails of the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia could be massive.
Every country who is going to the Copenhagen summit will be going there with their individual national agenda, and this latest controversy gives every sceptic a big fat get out clause.
The UN has now stepped in to investigate the claims that climate data has been exaggerated or ‘suped up’ by academics to try and make the scale of global temperature change look more severe. It all began a couple of weeks ago when hackers leaked hundreds of emails that were sent between scientists at the CRU and their peers from around the globe. It has most recently seen the resignation of the centre’s director, Phil Jones, and claims that the CRU had thrown away raw data in the Sunday Times have caused global uproar in scientific and political spheres.
As an authority on climate change research, the CRU has one of the most important and detailed datasets on charting global temperatures in modern history. However, these emails have cast doubt on the impact that human beings have had on temperature increases, allowing climate sceptics to say that the scientific case for climate change has been grossly undermined.
If it’s a scandal, whack ‘gate’ at the end, and hey presto ”ClimateGate’ is born. It looks set to cast a dark cloud over the Copenhagen Summit, as countries like Saudi Arabia who look to refuse to cut their carbon emissions at the Copenhagen summit, can now try to deny that human beings have had any impact on increased levels of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere.
It is argued that there is still plenty of other unequivocal evidence that humans are to blame for the dramatic rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution. The Huffington Post has dissected this latest debacle blow by blow so you can see exactly what ‘claims’ there ‘are’ to deny any of it is actually happening.
The run up to the summit has certainly had its twists and turns, but could this be the final derailment?
This is from the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 from this morning, where John Humphreys interviewed Jonathan Porritt, the founder of the Forum for the Future and Philip Stott, Professor Emeritus of Biogeography at the University of London. Makes for a very informing listen.
Welsh Green Dragon 
