Teenage climate activist “is inspirational”

 In News
Inspirational – Swedish teenage climate activist 16-year-old Greta Thunberg. Picture: Wikipedia.

The Swedish teenage climate activist who is embarrassing British and European political leaders into action is inspirational, said Midlands green energy expert Ron.

He was speaking after 16-year-old Greta Thunberg spent her Easter holidays addressing MPs at Westminster, meeting MEPs at an Environment Committee meeting in Strasbourg and talking to Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square, Rome.

“She has ensured that climate change is top of the political agenda, something many older people have failed to achieve,” said Ron.

Greta questioned the UK Government’s claim that it was playing a leading role in tackling the problem when it as continuing to support the shale gas fracking industry, the expansion of the North Sea oil and gas fields and giving the go-ahead for a brand-new coal mine.

The activist reminded MPs that Britain had a “mind blowing historical debt” because of its emissions in the 200 years since the industrial revolution.

In reply Environment Secretary Michael Gove said Greta, who founded the school climate strikes movement, had made him feel guilty about his generation’s failure to address the problem.

He said: I recognise we have not done enough to deal with the problem of climate change and it has become inescapable that we have to act.”

Next month the Committee on Climate Change is expected to recommend replacing a target of cutting emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 with a “net zero” target under which remaining emissions are balanced by technology to capture and to store carbon from the atmosphere.

“What Greta has achieved is amazing, she has given us all a wake-up call,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park.

“And she is right that we need to do more in this country by moving away from fossil fuels to green solutions to power our cars and heat our homes.”

“However, it is a world problem, not just a UK and European problem.”

He pointed out that although global CO2 emissions rose by 2.7 per cent last year to a record 37.1 billion tonnes, Britain’s figures fell by 2 per cent to 364 million tonnes. This is the lowest since 1888, apart from three years of economic collapse during strikes by coal miners and other workers in 1893, 1921 and 1926.

“Also,” he added, “our greenhouse gas emissions in 2017 were 43 per cent below1990 levels and on track for an 80 per cent reduction by 2050.

Ron pointed out that the three biggest offenders are China, America and India who together make up half the global total of carbon emissions.

“Yes, we agree the UK needs to do more for our future generations and Greta and others have ensured the topic is hitting the media headlines here,” he said. “But we should also be clear that other countries also must cut their carbon footprint sooner rather than later.”

To find out more about moving to green energy and cutting home energy bills contact Ron on 01782 756995 or 078171 26945.

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