The Climate is now Dunkirk

We cannot ignore the cry of more than 10,000 scientists, especially when they are reiterating a warning that was made forty years ago. From Attenborough to Scientists to Thunberg to the UN to Governments everywhere and to all of us, the word has gone out loud and clear. Stop the climate destruction now or perish in the next three generations. With seven great grandchildren, my next three generations are well and truly here. A withering planet racked by painful and destructive climate is not the legacy I want for them. Nor do you for your descendents.

We are at the Dunkirk of the Climate.

What everybody needs is a set of clear, personal, measurable goals that will be publicised. Only when we individually start working on emissions cutting – and show that we are – can we hold up our heads and say ‘I did the very best I could’. The British are specialists in ‘Dunkirk rescue’ and they have led the way with UK emissions targets that will be hard to meet. But meet them they must. Forget the Brexit nonsense and start saving the world. It’s what everyone – in their heart of hearts – wants to do.The days of wine and roses are over until we conquer the villain threatening our existence.

Realpolitik of the future is ‘From each according to our means, to each according to their needs’.

Frugal, prudent lives will save the world. What does it mean in practice? 22 things to do now:

# Make no journey that is not essential; halve the present number of essential journeys.

# Take public transport instead of the car.

# Halve the number of overseas holidays you take.

# Halve the number of times you eat meat or fish each week.

# Halve your alcohol consumption.

# Print only half of what you currently print;

# Insist that all official documentation be interneted.

# Ban new plastic containers from your home and office.

# Use existing plastic containers instead of throwing them away.

# Reduce energy consumption in your home by 20% within six months.

# Reduce your daily shower to four minutes.

# Cut you other water usage by half.

# Consider installing solar panels on your roof to generate electricity.

# Consider installing a spring-loaded windmill on your roof to generate electricity.

# Where possible make your exercise energy producing.

# Learn how to trust the internet. Do a course to equip you for cloud if necessary.

# If you are an investor insist on your companies behaving in a way that helps the planet.

# If you are a company manager prepare for a no growth economic climate.

# If managing a company reduce hard copy promotions by 75% immediately.

# Recognise that Planet Dunkirk means everyone and that is you as well as me.

# Exhort your parliamentary representative to pass legislation to save the planet.

# Make one strong plea a day to someone else to reduce climate damage…

(you can send a copy of this article to them by asking mentors@terrificmentrors.com).

The danger to the planet is that good, intelligent, decent people ignore the threat.

Dunkirk was nearly too late. It actually was too late for some, as we will remember solemnly in a few days time (11Nov19). Let my and your great grandchildren know they will have a place to live.

We are already ‘on the beaches’.

Put all your efforts into practice now and we may yet win.

Not ‘may’ but ‘will’.