WHAT NEXT FOR CLIMATE CHANGE?

Meeting at Plymouth City Council 29 Oct 2010

Several members of Plymouth FOE attended this meeting. It was opened by Prof Iain Stewart of Plymouth Uni, talking of climate change, both the present understanding, and where we go now. He outlined the evidence for climate change: retreating glaciers, shrinking arctic and greenland ice, sea level rise, sea temp rise. All the data shows that this has progressed inexorably since the 1950s. Ice core samples confirm that although there has been CO2 fluctuation over the past million years, it has never reached the current levels.
There is consensus among climate scientists that it is the manmade contribution to greenhouse gases that is driving up the temperature [and not solar activity]. The climate sceptics are mostly not scientists, and thrive on sewing seeds of doubt. But, if you choose to disbelieve 2500 top climate scientists from around the world, who do you believe? Rather, it is time to accept that it is happening, and move on to what we should do.

Next was Dr Andy Phippen, from the Plym Uni business dept. He showed how all business has changed over the past 10-20yrs, becoming environmentally aware. They have responded both to customer and employee expectation, as well as legislation. Businesses have to be green.

Sarah Holmes, a lawyer, spoke of how environmental law has changed . In 1990, it was concerned with direct pollution, eg discharges. By 2000, it was indirect pollution, eg nitrates from fertiliser seeping into rivers and drinking water. Now it controls access to the market place, ie you must demonstrate the sourcing of materials used in manufacture, plans for disposal,etc. She quoted the economist Sir Nicholas Stern who said that we had to spend 1% GDP now to mitigate climate change, or risk spending 20% later in clearing up the mess. So, although there is no legal successor to Kyoto, the EU has set itself targets for CO2 reduction and increasing % of energy from renewables. All UK businesses over a certain size have to register for energy monitoring, and paying for CO2 produced.

Helen Pineo of the Local Gov. group spoke of how local gov. was responding to the challenge set by the climate change minister to reduce carbon emissions, now that the regional bodies have been disbanded. There is shared information on best practice with regard to climate change mitigation, sustainable energy technologies etc

Jacky Young from the city council spoke of Plymouth's Local Carbon Framework. Plymouth plans to cut CO2 by 20% by 2013, 60% by 2030, 80% by 2050. Plymouth is ahead of the rest of the UK, and has been chosen as one of 9 pilots looking at carbon reduction. Plymouth was chosen because it already had a framework/action plan; and because it has good relationships with local business.

Finally Alex Hurth, the council's carbon manager [a new post] explained his job: to ensure compliance with environmental law, to look at energy management [and reductions] in the council's buildings; and also transport issues. His brief is to try and reduce Plymouth's carbon footprint [already below the national average].

A very interesting day, showing how national policy is being interpreted and delivered at local level by local government, businesses and individuals.

By Kevin Mattholie