Counting On … – Page 66

Counting on … day 1.116

10th May 2023

A report from Euro News – “The EU has approved plans for the Dutch government to buy out farmers. The scheme is part of the Netherlands’ plan to drastically slash nitrogen emissions, a major source of which is livestock farms. Farmers in the Netherlands have been staging protests over emissions reduction targets since October 2019 – The Dutch ruling coalition wants to cut emissions, predominantly nitrogen oxide and ammonia, by 50 per cent nationwide by 2030. Nearly €1.5 billion will be used to compensate farmers who voluntarily close farms located near nature reserves. Some 3,000 farms are expected to be eligible.” https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/05/03/dutch-farmers-could-be-paid-to-close-their-livestock-farms-under-new-scheme?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=green_newsletter&_ope=eyJndWlkIjoiMTJjMTk2MDNmOWI2YTEwZmZmMTQ0ODYyMWQ3NDJhNDcifQ==

The reduction in livestock numbers will also make a positive contribution to carbon emissions.

Counting on … day 1.115

9th May 2023

This week is National Hedgerow Week. Hedgerows can be an excellent space where biodiversity thrives – both in terms of the range of plants that can be found there, and in terms of the number of birds, insects and small mammals that benefit from its ecosystem. Hedges can also serve as wild life corridors linking areas of rich biodiversity. Sadly many hedgers have been lost as increasing industrialisation of farming has led to the use of larger pieces of machinery (ploughs, sprayers, harvesters) which can only be used in large fields – ie combined smaller fields where the hedges have been removed.

Since gardens too can be home to hedges, I was particularly attracted to the idea of creating a hedge using home grown plants – a long term project which will see a hedge replace a row of raspberries reaching the end of their fruitful lifespan. And the National Hedgrewo Week website provides just the information for doing this – https://treegrowersguide.org.uk/

Counting on … day 1.114

8th May 2023

Our vegetable patch is currently under a similar maintenance regimen to the lawns – limited intervention and just seeing which plants self seed and which perennials survive. One plant that self seeds freely is lamb’s lettuce which provide green salad leaves through most of the year. It is currently coming into flower but I am still picking bits for lunch. As it is going to seed, so other plants are coming on stream. Today’s salad included marjoram, salad burnet, sweet cecily, fennel, wild garlic, garlic mustard and the inner leaves of rainbow chard.

Counting on …day 1.113

7th May 2023

Plant Life is again this year promoting its No Mow May campaign. Not mowing lawns during May allows more of the flowering plants and grasses in the lawn to bloom providing pollen, and nectar for numerous insects.

I cut our lawns perhaps twice a year, whilst at the same time encouraging/ transplanting flowering plants such as dandelions, buttercups, plantains etc to provide a long season of plants that can benefit wildlife. The dandelions, for example, provide nectar for bumble bees and later seeds for gold finches. Currently the front lawn is full Spanish bluebells – very colourful!

The long grass doesn’t stop us for sitting out, on either deck chairs or blankets, and enjoying sunny weather.

The long grass is possible also better able to cope with periods of drought.

Counting on …. Day 1.112

6th May 2023

Changing systems can be an easy way to make a positive change. Here an example that aims to remove the existing system of tax havens which disadvantages the poor at the expense of the rich – https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/30/king-charles-urged-to-push-for-break-up-of-uks-network-of-satellite-tax-havens?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Counting on … day 1.111

5th May 2023

Government and the farming industry is part of a system that needs to change if we are to adapt to climate change and forestall a worsening of the current climate crisis. Nevertheless individuals can also be part of the process of change. We can buy less meat and dairy products and more – and more varied – plant based foods – ideally those that are locally grown and organic. We can support through donations and volunteering, habitat restoration and re-wilding schemes.

Counting on …day 1.110

4th May 2023

The WWF reports that “The UK Government has a black hole in its plan to cut GHG emissions from farming and to absorb more carbon in forests and peatlands…

Analysis of new numbers released in a Freedom of Information request (FOI) from WWF against current government policy suggests that only around 40% of the cuts that the Net Zero Strategy says are needed by 2030 from farming and land are being delivered. Current policies for cutting emissions from land are far from on track, with peatland restoration rates and tree-planting falling well short of targets.

This means the UK Government and devolved nations need to double the ambition of their plans for reducing emissions from UK land and farming if they are going to be on track for hitting climate targets in 2030 and beyond.”

For more info – https://www.wwf.org.uk/press-release/foi-requests-reveals-black-hole-government-plans

Counting on … day 1.109

3rd May 2023

Misinformation and disinformation about the climate crisis are compounded, I believe, when activists are not allowed in court cases to talk about the crisis to explain why they felt compelled to take disruptive action. People do not generally choose to sit in the middle of a busy road just for fun. Surely for justice to properly served, the courts need to understand why people took such action, and if it transpires that there was an overriding reason for the action, to alert the authorities accordingly.

Greta Thunberg famously countered that if your house is on fire, you would be justified in breaking the windows.

We are now in the situation where activists are facing increasingly long prison sentences because they are trying to draw attention to the overwhelming severity of the climate crisis and the pitifully inadequate response of the government.

On 21st April 2023, Morgan Trowland and Marcus were sent to prison for periods of 3 years and 2 years, 7 months respectively for climbing on a road bridge and hanging up a banner to demand an end to the British Government’s licensing of new oil and gas projects. These new projects are known to be inconsistent with international climate obligations, and unless opposed, will accelerate mass loss of life and displacement of people, in Britain and around the world.

Action network has a petition calling on the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change to intervene to dissuade the uk government from treating climate activists in this repressive manner.

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/morgan-and-marcus-solidarity-petition/

Counting on … day 1.108

2nd May 2023

The UK’s largest opencast coal mine is to close after an extension to keep it running was rejected.

The Ffos-y-Fran mine, near Merthyr Tydfil, must now stop after 16 years of excavation. The original planning consent had allowed mining to take place up until September 2022 and the campaign group Coal Action Network had already raised concerns that mining had continued. The mine owners had applied for an extension until 2024, arguing coal from the mine was needed by the steel industry. But planning officials advised that the proposed extension did not fit with Welsh government policies on tackling climate change, and the application was rejected.

For more info see the BBC website.

If local campaigners had not pursued this issue, would change have happened?

Counting on … day 1.107

1st May 2023

The Woodland Trust reports “Approximately 40% of major new road schemes across England impact irreplaceable ancient woodland wildlife havens, together with ancient and veteran trees. Added to that, associated carbon emissions are eyewatering. The Government’s consultation on its transport infrastructure policy closes on 6 June. Join thousands who have already taken action to help enable a future where nature thrives and carbon stays in the ground”.

They have set up a petition calling for greater protection of our trees which you can sign – https://campaigns.woodlandtrust.org.uk/page/120772/action/1?utm_campaign=3277675_E23COM013_Newsletter_Dynamic&utm_medium=email&utm_source=E23COM016&utm_content=NNNPS&dm_i=2D76,1Y92J,6HXEUF,6VJXU,1