Judith Russenberger

Counting on … day 1.180

26th September 2023

Biodiversity loss is not just measured in terms of extinction, but also in loss of numbers within a species. However if the loss of numbers takes place over years or decades, do we register that it is happening? If we still see butterflies each summer, do we necessarily twig that their numbers have been greatly diminished? How few do we need to see, before we begin to worry?

The Big Butterfly Count data over the last 13 years reveals numbers of the once ubiquitous small tortoiseshell have fallen by 30%, with even larger declines for the speckled wood (-38%), ringlet (-41%), common blue (-44%) and green-veined white (-61%)…[whilst] other species appear to be thriving in an era of big climatic changes, with long-term increases over 13 years for the red admiral (up 78%), painted lady (up 113%), the holly blue (+41%), large white (+27%) and small copper (+66%) – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/15/uk-butterfly-numbers-bounce-back-after-last-years-all-time-low?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

By choosing what we grow in our gardens, we can help support butterfly populations. I specifically grow nettles as they provide food and nursery space for the commas’ caterpillars. I try and have plants that are in flower throughout the year – at the moment sedum and the last of the nasturtiums are proving popular for various insects.

For more information on plants and gardening techniques see https://butterfly-conservation.org/how-you-can-help/get-involved/gardening/gardening-for-butterflies

Counting on … day 1.179

25th September 2023

‘Mutilating the tree of life’ said the Guardian’s headline. It was reporting on a study that found that at least 73 species groups (genera) have become extinct since 1500. Without human impact the extinction rate would probably have been just two such groups. Prof Ceballos, who led the research said “By losing all these genera, we are losing the foundations of the planet to have life in general and human life in particular. If you have a wall made of bricks, if you lose some, it won’t collapse but it won’t be as strong. If you lose many bricks, eventually it will collapse. The combination of the gases in the atmosphere that allows us to have life on the planet depends on plants, animals and organisms…”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/19/mutilating-the-tree-of-life-wildlife-loss-accelerating-scientists-warn?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

The biodiversity crisis is as much a threat to the wellbeing of life on earth as the climate crisis. Both need to be addressed of either crisis is to be averted.

You might like to support the Zero Hour campaign which does focus on both crises – https://www.zerohour.uk/bill/

Proper 20, 16th Sunday after Trinity

24th September 2023

Reflection (readings below)

It is easy for people to get disgruntled, especially when they feel that a change in the system has unfairly affected them.

Today’s readings are concerned with different systems. There is that of the world – sometimes referred to, by for example St Paul, as the way of the flesh. And there is that which is the way of God – the way of the kingdom of God.

Life in Egypt operated under the system of the world. There were those in power and those enslaved. Those who were slaves worked whilst those in power enjoyed the fruits of their labour. To ensure those who were slaves kept on working, food was necessary. Slaves worked to get food, and slaves got food to ensure they worked.

God took the people out of that system in a way that was dramatic and promised to be life changing. But initially the people felt uncomfortable. They are not used to this system. They complain – Po I g the blame on Moses and Aaron. God knows what they are experiencing and God wants to introduce them to an alternative system, the system, or way, of God. God will feed them not because he wants them to work hard, but because they are God’s people. God wants them to learn God’s ways, to learn to follow God’s instructions and God’s example.

So without having to work, God provides them with food to eat – a free gift. But God’s way are about having enough and not being greedy or grasping. They are to collect each day just the food they need. Later in the story we hear that those who are greedy, and collect more that they need, find that the surplus they gathered goes mouldy! God’s ways are not just about having enough food, they are also about having enough rest. Just as God, after six days of labouring to create the world, rested on the seventh day, so to the people of God are to observe a day of rest on the seventh day.

These words from today’s psalm reminds us that seeking God’s way is the way, will lead to rejoicing!

“Glory in his holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.”

The story from St Matthew’s gospel likewise contrasts the ways of the world and the ways of God, and how the two systems have different ways of valuing people. The world values people according to their ability to work hard, whilst at the same time overlooking the fact that some people lack opportunity, that people are not playing on a level playing field. The kingdom of God values people because they are people made in God’s image. The kingdom of God serves to give people opportunities. The kingdom of God sets out to meet people’s need – not their greed. The kingdom of God asks that we be generous towards others just as God is generous to us.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians reminds us that to seek God’s kingdom, to follow in the ways of Christ, is not without discomfort and suffering, but despite these, it is always a way of life that is full of joy.

The way of the world still predominates. We still find that we and others are often constrained by its overwhelming force, and by its injustices. People still go hungry, people still lack opportunities, people still find that the system is set against them. Only this week Mr Sunak has declared that because people cannot afford to replace their existing gas heating systems, that he will allow these expensive systems to remain in place, locking users into an ongoing reliance on gas markets with ever increasing energy costs. Would it not be better to insulate people’s homes, fitting them out with energy efficient heating systems, and so allowing them to benefit from the lower costs of renewable energy. Would it not be even better to ensure that everyone has a warm home as a universal right?

Can we envisage how all our lives would look if we lived according to the values of the kingdom of God? Those values we pray for each time we say the Lord’s Prayer – ‘May your kingdom come, on earth as in heaven.’

Exodus 16:2-15

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”

Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45

1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvellous works.

3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Search for the Lord and his strength; *
continually seek his face.

5 Remember the marvels he has done, *
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.

37 He led out his people with silver and gold; *
in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled.

38 Egypt was glad of their going, *
because they were afraid of them.

39 He spread out a cloud for a covering *
and a fire to give light in the night season.

40 They asked, and quails appeared, *
and he satisfied them with bread from heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and water flowed, *
so the river ran in the dry places.

42 For God remembered his holy word *
and Abraham his servant.

43 So he led forth his people with gladness, *
his chosen with shouts of joy.

44 He gave his people the lands of the nations, *
and they took the fruit of others’ toil,

45 That they might keep his statutes *
and observe his laws.
Hallelujah!

Philippians 1:21-30

To me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well– since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

For justice -Loss and Damage Day

23rd September 2023

Surely no one would turn against the needy when they cry for help in their trouble. Job 30: 24

You Lord, are the source of all good things:

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation:

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives:

May we live together in peace.

A reading from Ezekiel 7:10-12 (from The Message)

“‘Judgment Day! Fate has caught up with you.
The sceptre outsized and pretentious, pride bursting all bounds,
Violence strutting,

brandishing the evil sceptre.
But there’s nothing to them,

and nothing will be left of them.
Time’s up.

Countdown: five, four, three, two . . . 
Buyer, don’t boast; seller, don’t worry:

Judgment wrath has turned the world topsy-turvy.
The bottom has dropped out of buying and selling.

It will never be the same again.
But don’t fantasise an upturn in the market.

The country is bankrupt because of its sins,
and it’s not going to get any better.

And in response, a reading from Exodus 22: 21-29a

“Don’t abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.

“Don’t mistreat widows or orphans. If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure I’ll take them most seriously; I’ll show my anger and come raging among you with the sword, and your wives will end up widows and your children orphans.

“If you lend money to my people, to any of the down-and-out among you, don’t come down hard on them and gouge them with interest.

“If you take your neighbour’s coat as security, give it back before nightfall; it may be your neighbour’s only covering—what else does the person have to sleep in? And if I hear the neighbour crying out from the cold, I’ll step in—I’m compassionate.

“Don’t curse God; and don’t damn your leaders.

“Don’t be stingy as your vats fill up.”

Intercessions:

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of

Libya, Greece, Brazil, Rawanda and Pakistan,

for all whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by floods,

whose schools and hospitals have been overwhelmed,

whose crops and livestock have been drowned.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of

Madagascar and Mozambique, China andTaiwan,

Nova Scotia, Myanmar and Bangladesh

for all whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by storms,

where roads and public services have been overwhelmed,

whose crops and livestock have been drowned.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of Somali and Yemen,

of Haiti, Mali and Burkina Faso, of Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria,

for all whose face drought and starvation,

for all whose harvests have cultivated in vain,

for all who have no reserves to fall back on.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of Sri Lanka, Venzuela,

Senegal, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Lao,

and for all whose economies are ravaged by debt,

whose infrastructure suffers neglect

as money is sidelined for interest repayments,

where future investment is blighted.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

With penitence, may we acknowledge our ignorance and callousness.

With humility, we seek to make amends.

With determination, may we press for polluters to pay.

With God’s grace, let us seek a new future of care and justice for all creation.

Amen.

Green Tau issue 79: Loss and Damage

22nd September 2023

What is ‘Loss and Damage’?

Christian Aid provides the following definition:

“Loss and damage’ is a term used in UN climate talks to refer to the consequences of climate change that go beyond what people can adapt to. Like when extreme droughts turn farmland into dust. The climate crisis is affecting vulnerable communities around the world. People are losing their homes and their livelihoods right now.

“Some of the loss and damage that’s occurring can be measured in economic terms, such as impacts on farming or tourism – but the loss of lives or the trauma of having to migrate from your ancestral home is much harder to quantify, and even more devastating.

“’ We can’t adapt to the loss of our cultures, the loss of our identities, the loss of our histories. We can’t adapt to extinction or to starvation. We cannot adapt to loss and damage.’ – Vanessa Nakate (2022)” (1b) Vanessa Nakate is a Ugandan climate activist who was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2022.

Data from Christian Aid suggests that for the year 2022, extreme climate events in South Africa (flooding), Pakistan (flooding), the Caribbean(tropical cyclone) and Brazil (drought) caused damage costing in excess of $15.5 billion (1). In addition there were ‘smaller’ climate events plus the ongoing year by year degradation of farming and industrial output in many countries. Christian Aid’s 2022 report, ‘The Cost to Africa’, “suggests GDP per capita in African states is 13.6% lower than if there had been no global heating between 1991 and 2010. This trend is predicted to continue. If governments globally meet their target of limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, by 2100 the average hit to GDP in African states will be 34%. If we do not meet our targets and keep on current trends, it could be a hit of 64%.” (2)

Western nations have not been exempt from costly extreme climate events. In 2022 drought and storms in Europe, floods in Australia and hurricane Ian in the USA caused in excess of $130 billion of damage (1). It should be noted that as western nations have more and higher quality infrastructure, the cost of any physical damage is always going to be high, whilst at the same time more will be covered by insurance policies.

What is particularly unjust, is that the climate change causing all these extreme weather events arises largely from the carbon emissions of the the highly industrialised countries, but inflicts most damage on the poorest least responsible countries. A report in the Guardian notes “The entire continent of Africa is responsible for less than 4% of historic global emissions, yet African people are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis”. (3) This injustice is compounded because these two groups of nations are not facing the climate crisis from a level playing field. “When Germany experienced terrible flooding in 2021, the government was able to instantly mobilise €30bn (£26bn) to pay to rebuild the towns and infrastructure that had been decimated by the flood. In contrast, Pakistan has had to rely on an UN emergency appeal that is only 34% funded. Mozambique was forced to take out an IMF loan to help pay for recovery following Cyclone Idai in 2019, pushing the country further into debt distress”. (3)

Christian Aid’s Africa Advisor Joab Okanda, based in Kenya, explains: ‘The roads that we’re building from borrowed loans are being washed away and we have to repay these loans, our people are having to endure austerity measures because our government has to rebuild schools and roads, people are going to bed hungry.'(2)

For some years there has been a call for the establishment of a Loss and Damage fund to cover the costs being incurred by the most vulnerable nations. In November 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 made a breakthrough agreement to provide a “loss and damage” fund for those vulnerable countries hit hardest by climate disasters. Governments then agreed to establish a ‘transitional committee’ to make recommendations on how this new fund would operate and how it would be funded. Their recommendations will be brought to COP28 for approval.

What is the likely size of this proposed Loss and Damage fund?

Research carried out by Christian Aid (and used by the Government in their research briefing ‘Climate Change: “Loss and Damage” Fund’) estimates that “the UK should provide 3.5% of the total global effort in addition to reaching net zero domestically…Applying this percentage to the forecast loss and damages costs in 2030 equates to $10bn at the lower bound of $290bn or $20bn at the upper bound of $580bn ….’ (4)

Of course what the total cost of damage is in 2030 will to some extent depend on how rapidly, how assiduously, all governments and companies, work towards rescuing their carbon emissions. The current IPCC target is that we should have at least halved our emissions by 2030. Hence the inclusion in Christian Aid’s report that the UK also needs to achieve its net zero targets.

What might the Loss and Damage fund pay for?

Christian Aid suggests: the fund could provide money:

towards rebuilding homes flattened by floods or cyclones
to enable people to relocate when rising sea levels make it impossible to stay where they are
for people who can no longer farm (because the rains have stopped in consecutive years) to retrain and secure alternative livelihoods
to rebuild roads and bridges without having to take out expensive loans” (5)

The last point is a reminder that money that goes into the Loss and Damage fund should not be existing money that has simply been re-labelled. Vulnerable countries may well be receiving money from other funds/ loans/ financing deals with which to build new road, new roads, sea walls etc as part of enabling the development of such countries. Such development funds are not the same as loss and damage funds. The latter is very specifically there to fund rebuilding or retraining or relocating projects where infrastructure and resources have been damaged by extreme climate events. It also important that money paid out through the Loss and Damage fund, is paid in the form of a grant and not a loan. (If our home was flooded, we would not expect our insurers to loan us the cost of repairs!)

Christian Aid highlights another possible area of confusion, that of “the difference between loss and damage finance and international climate finance”

“International climate finance (ICF) is intended to support countries to transition to low carbon economies and to adapt to climate impacts. It is often associated with the target to mobilise $100 billion a year for developing countries. Whereas the calls for loss and damage financing are related to the irreversible costs of climate impacts, beyond what can be adapted to”. (5)

How might the UK Government finance its contribution to the Loss and Damage fund?

It is unlikely that this will come from existing funds. The Government has already been criticised for failing to make $300m (£260m) of promised climate finance payments. The UK missed its September 2022 deadline to provide $288m to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and failed to fulfil a separate $20.6m pledge to the adaptation fund (6). Since then the government has drawn up plans to drop the UK’s flagship £11.6bn climate and nature funding pledge (7).

More realistically, the Government will need to find new sources of finance – ie through taxation.

Christian Aid suggests three options.

A national net wealth tax: a rate of 0.5% levied on wealth in excess of £1m could raise £15bn
A permanent tax on the profits of fossil fuel production could also raise £15bn
A combination of an air passenger levy (eg a frequent flyer tax) and an expansion of the Emissions Trading Scheme levy and/or Financial Transactions tax or of the Energy Profits levy could likewise raise £15bn. (8)

All three options would place the burden on those who pollute, even option 1, for it is well documented that those who are wealthiest have the largest carbon footprints. (9) This approach is reflected in the theme of this year’s Loss and Damage Day, 23rd September, “Make Polluters Pay”.

1 (https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-12/counting-the-cost-2022.pdf

(1b) https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/climate-change/loss-and-damage-faqs

2 (https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/caid-loss-and-damage-briefing-september-2023.pdf)

3 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/08/rich-countries-climate-crisis-cop27-africa-loss-and-damage?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

4 https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-05/the-loss-and-damage-fund_may-2023.pdf

5 https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/climate-change/loss-and-damage-faqs

6 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/nov/01/uk-criticised-for-failing-to-pay-300m-in-promised-climate-funds-ahead-of-cop27?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

7 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/04/revealed-uk-plans-to-drop-flagship-climate-pledge-rishi-sunak?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

8 https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-05/the-loss-and-damage-fund_may-2023.pdf

9 for example re the UK see https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/01/polluting-elite-enormous-carbon-dioxide-emissions-gap-between-poorest-autonomy-study?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

For a reflection on last year’s lectionary readings that tie in with the theme of Loss and Damage see – https://greentau.org/2022/09/18/proper-20/

Counting on …. Day 1.178

22nd September 2023

‘A just transition to a fossil free future.’

Even if we know what the aim/ objective is, we may still be asking ‘But what can I do?’

12 obvious ways to reduce emissions that nobody is talking about

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/grantham-institute/public/publications/9-things-you-can-do-about-climate-change—full-text.pdf or for a shorter picture-based version – https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/grantham-institute/public/publications/Nine-things-you-can-do-about-climate-change.pdf

Deep Waters – run by Green Christian – begins again on Monday 25 September, 7pm-8.30pm. It is a gentle eight-week exploration of our emotional responses to climate change and the crisis of nature, through a Christian lens of love, wisdom and justice, and aims to lead people to a place of active hope – there is still time to sign up, and people don’t have to be members of Green Christian to take part. There is no charge.

For more information and to sign up:

Deep Waters: A project of Borrowed Time

Counting on …. Day 1.177

21st September 2023

‘A just transition to a fossil free future.’

Future

Future’ reminds us that what we do now does have an impact on future generations (both of humans and of flora and fauna). It also can prompt us to envisage – to dream – what a better future could look like. For some organisations imagining that better future is part of their remit. The United Nations has its 17 sustainability goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals), and the Earth Overshoot Day organisation has its ‘Power of Possibility’ vision (https://www.overshootday.org/)

Following Mr Sunak’s statement yesterday, you may feel that the future looks bleaker than ever. If you wish to challenge his stance, plenty of petitions so doing have been set up overnight including:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/don-t-rip-up-plans-to-protect-the-planet?source=whatsapp-share-button&utm_campaign=blast2023-09-20&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=whatsapp&share=af87deac-7a52-44da-a7c4-4f4f2e90843b

https://action.friendsoftheearth.uk/petition/tell-rishi-dont-scrap-climate-pledge

What a green and peaceful future could look like

Counting on …. Day 1.176

20th September 2023

‘A just transition to a fossil free future.’

Fossil free’

If the main driver of the excess of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere is from the burning of fossil fuels, then logically if we are to survive we must stop using fossil fuels. But after centuries in which we have become more and more reliant on fossil fuels – first coal, then oil and gas – can we do this without a substantial diminution of our living standards and can we do it in a way that is just?

Article produced by the United Nations “‘Without renewables, there can be no future’: 5 ways to power the energy transition” – https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1140357

Here is another article from May Boeve, the executive director of 350.org https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/just-transition-community-renewable-energy

And from the World Resources Institute – https://www.wri.org/insights/just-transition-zero-carbon-world-possible-heres-how

Counting on …. Day 1.175

19th September 2023

‘A just transition to a fossil free future.’

To transition is to move from one state to another from way of doing things to another. It can involve change that is not much more than a minor adjustment or it can involve change that is a complete turnabout. Swopping from incandescent to LED lightbulbs might be an example of the former. Swopping from air travel to flight free journeys, from meat-based to plant based diets, from drilling for oil to the building wind farms, more an example of the latter. Most recently we have seen in the introduction of the expansion of ULEZ, a scheme that whilst fair and just for most people (providing clean air for pedestrian, cyclists and car drivers) is unjust for a small number of people who are dependent on their – non compliant – vehicles but have insufficient funds to buy an alternative and in adequate public transport to remove the initial need for a car.

The transition maybe even more deep rooted. We may need to transition from our market economies where profit and monopoly power determines what is produced and who consumes it, to an economy based on the the common good, on the least polluting, on satisfying need rather than greed. For a just transition we might see the introduction of a universal basic income, free health and social care at the point of need, an inter grated public transport system in place of private cars, the elevation of food sovereignty over futures markets, the adoption of doughnut economics.

To read the excellent first chapter of Kate Raworth’s book on doughnut economics follow this link – https://doughnuteconomics.org/tools/18

You might also read this Time article about Amsterdam’s decision to pursue doughnut economics – but be aware, the webpage is full of adverts encouraging your to buy more and thus contribute to the GDP model of economics! https://time.com/5930093/amsterdam-doughnut-economics/

Counting on … day 1.174

18th September 2023

What is the aim, the objective, of climate activism?

Having pondered this, I wonder if it might be ‘A just transition to a fossil free future.’

‘Just’ that whatever course of action we and/or others take should be fair and just to all: fair to the poor as well as the rich; fair to people in the polluting industries and to those in the restorative ones; fair to people in the global south and to those in the north; fair to animals, birds, fish, insects …. as well as to human; fair in the division of resources and responsibilities; fair in the distribution of sacrifices and of opportunities.

Much of the suffering we see around us arises from injustice. Fuel poverty is going to be an issue this winter. Those with limited resources cannot afford to insulate their home, invest in more fuel-efficient heating systems, or in solar panels. Whilst those with ample financial resources can benefit from all these cost saving opportunities. To take action on this – to seek justice – check out this website https://www.warmthiswinter.org.uk/

and/ or watch this talk on the issue – https://youtu.be/7b1KS4pazw4?si=yR3eLepDiLT5hrC4

or this – https://energyforall.org.uk/