… the North Pole became circumnavigable for the first time in human history. The shocking images of the receding ice mass, taken by NASA, showed both the north east and west passages open at the same time – an unprecedented occurence. Surely, finally, this should be accepted as hard evidence that climate change is happening and fast. To America and Russia, it represents an opportunity – to map the floor of the Arctic Sea for oil and gas exploration.
… in response to rising sea levels, the planet’s small island nations are preparing to table a joint resolution at the UN, calling for urgent action on climate change. Small islands such as Papua New Guinea and the Maldives are at the forefront of the effects of climate change – continued rises in sea level threaten them with submersion. To support their efforts, you can sign an online petition at http://www.avaaz.org/en/sos_small_islands/50.php.
… America’s Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin was revealed as pro-drilling for oil in Alaska’s national parks and anti-laws to protect polar bears as an endangered species. This woman and her values could soon be leading the most powerful nation in the world, already one of the biggest obstacles to international action on climate change.
… In Britain, Gordon Brown announced that he plans to tackle rising fuel costs by taking on the ‘oil dictatorships’. His secret weapon? Insulation. While I applaud the Prime Minister on his decision not to give one-off payments to tackle fuel poverty in favour of long-term reduction in energy use, I have some questions for him. How many hoops will people have to jump through to get these grants? Or will they book New Labour form and be easy to apply for and proactively promoted directly to the people who need them the most – the elderly, young families and people on low incomes? And finally, what took him so long? He has had ten years as Chancellor to promote long-term fuel economy and he could have done it at a time when people weren’t feeling so hard done by. Now voters are in a bad mood – recession looming, fuel prices rising rapidly and the credit-happy lifestyle a distant memory – and want instant solutions. When it comes down to it, most people are easily bought and a short-term, one-off fuel payment or windfall tax would have been more popular than a long-term, this-is-what’s-good-for-you-whether-you-like-it-or-not solution. This man’s timing is woeful.
