18th September 2025
I subscribed to the Ethical Consumer monthly email which this month focuses on repair and reuse. At their prompting , can I recommend signing up for this useful newsletter too?
Category: Counting On …
Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on
Counting on … day 146
18th September 2025
Introducing alternative ways of managing our economies will require a high degree of political will – and especially the willingness to shift from short term (before the next election) to long term goals.
One organisation that has done research on how this can be achieved is Nesta (a UK innovation agency for social good).
“Why long-termism doesn’t often happen…Part of the problem is that so much of our system of government pushes in the opposite direction. Decision makers get stuck in “firefighting traps”, a symptom of which includes focusing on the urgent instead of the important.
“Rather than simply indulge in well-intentioned hand waving about the need for greater long-termism in government, we need practical ways of encouraging future thinking that are hardwired into the system. Fortunately across the globe there are pockets of government innovation where we can find just that.”(1)
Do read the full article. And ask questions when we next have elections – how will the candidate/ party ensure better long term planning to ensure intergenerational justice?
Counting on … day 145
17th September 2025
Intergenerational justice asks us to embrace “the interconnectedness of all things, the recognition of the inherent value of nature and its interdependence with the human world.” (1) Such insights are not new – in 1624 Donne wrote ‘no man is an island’ and in1224 St Francis wrote about all creation as being our brothers and sisters. Rather is seems as if it is our industrial world, our market economy, that has separated our activities into discrete silos. Traditionally economic theory only considered demand and supply of a product and not its impact on society (for good or ill) nor any damage it may cause in terms of pollution or diminishing future supplies. Indeed as regards the latter, a diminishing supply can in fact boost profits for the supplier!
The free market economic model does not protect future generations – it is not even capable of caring for present generations. We need alternative approaches to manage our economies – such as Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics (2) (More on this next week).
(1) https://gceurope.org/intergenerational-justice-or-how-to-be-a-good-ancestor/
Counting on … day 144
16th September 2025
Intergenerational justice as described by the United Nations, is grounded in the idea that the “pursuit of welfare by the current generation should not diminish opportunities for a good and decent life for succeeding generations”. For example if a group of islanders cut down all the trees on their island such that none remained for their children to enjoy, that would constitute an intergenerational injustice. (1)
More pertinently in terms of the climate, if the lifestyle of one generation through the burning of fossil fuels, means that their children have to live with unfriendly climatic conditions, then the behaviour of the earlier generation has been unjust vis a vis the subsequent generation. Equally, if one generation farms the land such that its feeds that generation but so damages the soil that it can not provide food for the next, then that too is an instance of intergenerational injustice.
Intergenerational justice asks us to think and act beyond the short term and consider the long term – that of subsequent generations – to ensure that both present and future generations can live on a healthy planet: “Intergenerational justice states that the rights of past, present and future generations to live on a healthy planet are equal. Nothing future generations will do will affect the present, but everything that happens now will affect the future. In this sense, intergenerational justice requires a radical mindset change that considers the long-term impact of today’s choices and actions, instead of focusing on short-term gains.” (2)
We are called to be good ancestors now!
Counting on … day 143
15th September 2025
Climate inequalities don’t have to be accepted. Change is possible. Friends of the Earth have produced a report entitles the Big Climate Plan detailing what could be done in the UK to address climate inequalities. (1) And they have produced another report showing how the costs could be met by taxing those causing the climate crisis (2)
“The “polluter pays” principle is the idea that those most responsible for emissions and pollution should pay the most towards tackling them. The “polluter pays” principle is the idea that those most responsible for emissions and pollution should pay the most towards tackling them.“
(1) https://cdn.friendsoftheearth.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/Fairness Report_Friends_of_the_Earth_Digital.pdf
(2) https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/taxing-polluters-pay-climate-action
Counting on … day 142
12th September 2025
The inequalities exposed by the climate crisis are also feeding growing health inequalities. And health inequalities increase wealth inequalities.
“A new [2023] report from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reveal[ed] that the health impacts of climate change will be disproportionately felt by disadvantaged communities, significantly exacerbating existing health inequalities. The findings show that vulnerable groups – including people with disabilities, homeless populations, and those in deprived areas – will bear the brunt of extreme weather like heat waves and floods, which are becoming more common due to greenhouse gas emissions. This amplifies existing disparities, where those in poverty already have lower life expectancy.” (1)
The report does highlight that prompt intervention to tackle the issues of the climate crisis could simultaneously improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable. For example
* insulating homes addresses climate change by reducing carbon emissions whilst at the same time providing healthier homes because they will be both warmer and less prone to mould.
- transitioning to smaller, electric vehicles – with an increase on good public transport – reduces both carbon emissions and air pollution so improving health outcomes.
- if more journeys switched from cars to cycles, the improvements in health would be significant.
- If more trees were planted and green spaces secured, more carbon emissions would be absorbed and more rainfall would be absorbed, whilst improving the mental and physical health of nearby residents and workers
- Transitioning to a largely plant based diet, would reduce carbon emissions from livestock farming and release land for rewilding, and at the same time improve healthy eating.
See also –
Counting on … day 141
11th September 2025
The inequalities around wealth and income mean that poorer people tend to live in areas with limited access to green spaces – which are beneficial for health and wellbeing as well for cooler ambient temperatures and absorbing rain – and are less likely to live in those tree-lined streets which similarly alleviate high temperatures and the risks of flooding.
For more information –
Counting on … day 140
10th September 2025
The inequalities around the wealth/ income and the climate crisis around that mean the poorest are more significant impacted by adverse weather conditions.
People with low incomes/ wealth cannot afford to install double glazing or home insulation so when temperatures are uncomfortably hot or cold, they cannot protect themselves. Many live in small badly designed homes that do not allow for a through flow of air during hot weather and equally may have large glass windows allowing in excessive amounts of heat in the summer and cold in the winter. Often these properties may be rented meaning that occupants have to rely on landlords to instal climate adaptions – and then still incur the – possibly unaffordable – costs through increased rents and service charges.
People with low incomes/ wealth cannot afford the upfront capital cost of installing energy – and therefore cost-saving – systems such as heat pumps and solar panels, again meaning that they are continually disadvantaged.
Counting on … day 139
9th September 2025
Inequalities vis a vis climate change (and many other issues) also exist between the individual and the company or industry.
It is well known that it is the emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that is causing climate change. To avoid the worsening of this crisis the obvious thing to do would be to stop producing and using the oil and gas that create this pollutant. Yet however much individuals may wish – and petition and campaign – to see that happen (wishing that the economy would transition to one based on renewable energy sources and plastic alternatives) it is the fossil fuel and plastics companies and industries that get the ear of government ministers.
“UK government ministers met with representatives from the oil and gas sector at least 343 times in 2023, according to Global Witness analysis of data collected by Transparency International UK.” (1) This equates to an average of 1.4 meetings per day. At the same time 10 of the UK’s most prominent climate and social justice organisations met with ministers only 33 times (2)
Counting on … day 138
8th September 2025
Inequalities vis a vis the climate crisis exist not just between richer and poorer nations, but also between different communities within individual nations. Typically poorer communities struggle more and are more frequently adversely affected by the climate crisis. Whilst richer communities are better insulated against the impact of climate change whilst at the same contributing far more to the problem.
“The wealthiest 1 per cent of people in the UK each produce 11 times the amount of carbon emissions of someone in the poorest half of the population … Their carbon footprint is 6 times that of the national average. Those in the wealthiest 10 per cent – with income after tax of at least £41,000 per year – have a carbon footprint that is more than double the national average and four times that of someone in the poorest half.” (1)
Richer people because they spend more, consuming more goods and services, will generate a larger carbon footprint. At the same time, as influencers and trend setters they encourage others to to mimic their high carbon lifestyles. One clear example of this is the explosion in the number of SUVs that now fill our streets. These began life as a utility vehicle for areas where the ground was rough and unsuitable for regular vehicles. Next they became the new toy for the rich and wealthy. Now they are the must-have for the aspiring classes. So rather than seeing a switch to smaller, less polluting electrical vehicles which would benefit air quality, reduce pollution, and assist in mitigating the affects of climate crisis, we have a increased pollution and higher carbon emissions.
More information on SUVs –
The Green Tau 