Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on
7th January 2023
With new sleeper services coming on board later this spring, there are even
more ways of getting around Europe without flying. I have once again sign the Flight Free Pledge for 2023. You too can do this at https://flightfree.co.uk/
You can also sign a petition I have set up asking for an end to internal UK air flights – https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/629859
5th January 2023
Last year’s Biodiversity COP was more successful than anticipated. The participants finally agreed targets to protect 30% of the planet for nature by the end of the decade, reform £410bn of environmentally damaging subsidies, and restore 30% of the planet’s degraded terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine ecosystems – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/19/cop15-historic-deal-signed-to-halt-biodiversity-loss-by-2030-aoe?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
4th January 2023
Curlew conservation projects. Curlews are beautiful birds of the moorlands and coast, with a burbling call. There number has been in decline for many years due to habitat loss but this is beginning to turn through the effort of conservation projects such as that of the RSPB in the Antrim Hills. From no successful breeding pairs in 2005, last year saw 37 curlew pair produce 69 fledglings.
3rd January 2023
Low emissions zones help reduce traffic numbers in cities as well as improving air quality.
Silviya Barrett, director of policy and research at the Campaign for Better Transport reports “TfL estimates that six months after the expansion into inner London there were 21,000 fewer vehicles seen in the zone on an average day, a reduction of two per cent”. Further data from the Department for Transport, shows traffic flow across the capital has decreased by 11 per cent since 2019, when the ULEZ was introduced.
Next year, the ULEZ will expand across the entirety of Greater London.
2nd January 2023
12 Days of Hope
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is proposing to ban sand-eel fishing early next year, following consultation with relevant parties. Sand-eels that are dredged up from the sea bed are typically used as feed for animals or farmed salmon. However sand-eels are a key part of the diet of many sea birds including the kittiwake and the puffin, both of which need protecting as their numbers are unnaturally low.
1st January 2023
12 Days of Hope
Small actions mount up to create real change. For example people buying Good Roll toilet paper have provided toilet facilities for 4 school across Africa complete with toilet paper and biodegrade menstrual products transforming the lives of over 4200 lives in 2022. And their recycled + bamboo paper products have saved 7230 trees. Our local butchers have raised £10,000 from customers which have provide blankets, food and kitchens for people in Ukraine. Whilst at The Scrubbery, Rosie and her volunteers have over the last 3 years sewn 21,833 scrub items (tops and bottoms), 11,246 scrub hats, 1489 welling being bags distributed to medical staff, and 4625 laundry bags – https://www.thescrubbery.org/about
31st December 2022
12 Days of Hope
Tomorrow is the start of Veganuary. This annual campaign encouraging people to rescue their consumption of animal products. 600,000 people officially taking part in 2022, up on the 580,000 who took part in 2021. YouGov tracker data suggests 2-3% of the UK population are now vegan and 5-7% vegetarian – and growing!
30th December 2022
12 Days of Hope
Reintroducing previously native species such as the beaver. Beavers are useful members of our natural ecosystem especially in shaping and managing rivers and preventing flooding. Beavers, hunted to extinction 400 years ago, have been reintroduced into the wild in about 20 locations across the UK.
29th December 2022
12 Days of Hope
Rewilding allows nature to re-establish itself in our land and marine landscapes in ways that improves the health of the environment and our health as part of the ecosystem. There are over 80 such projects in the UK. The following website shows the impact rewilding can have.
https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/explore-rewilding/what-is-rewilding/rewilding-the-uplands
28th December 2022
12 days of hope
Subsidised public transport encourages people to change the way they travel and reduces the number of vehicles on the roads. The UK Government is trialing a £2 fare cap on a large number of routes across the country. This will be in place January 1st to the end of March. This link list which routes are covered. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/2-bus-fare-cap
In London bus and tram fares are capped at £1.65 for journeys made within one hour and £4.95 as a daily cap.
The Green Tau 