Climate protests in London

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

The other factor is that as we have embraced the need to make our energy cleaner, it has pushed the cost up.  So energy intensive industries are encouraged to move to places where energy costs are less - which usually means places where energy is still relatively "dirty".  And then you have the energy involved in transporting the goods to here as well.

Yes, although I think China in particular (I'm not sure about the other typical "offshore recipient countries") has installed a lot of wind and solar recently. But I don't think you can isolate energy costs from other reasons; countries with lower energy costs tend to also have lower labour, land and raw material costs.

[Henry]

 Ironic smile as some of the young 'eco-warrior's '  arrived back home to
 Totnes. Waiting was 'Mummy' who swiftly whisked them off in her 4x4.

[Timmer]

Ironic smile as some of the young 'eco-warrior's '  arrived back home to
 Totnes. Waiting was 'Mummy' who swiftly whisked them off in her 4x4.

sadly probably true.

[TaplowGreen]

Ironic smile as some of the young 'eco-warrior's '  arrived back home to
 Totnes. Waiting was 'Mummy' who swiftly whisked them off in her 4x4.

sadly probably true.

Was that the lady in the (spotless) Hunter wellies and Barbour jacket, waiting with the Fortnum & Mason hamper for young Felicity?

I think I saw her at Taplow too! 🙂

[mjones]

You have ignored the point that our imports involve emissions that are attributed to others. And that remaining 30% isn't going to be met unless we do more. So far we've done the easy stuff, replacing coal with natural gas and cutting heavy industry (offshoring it to others). Some of our supposed reduction is claimed from the use of biofuels that are not actually sustainable. That's not good enough, and there is plenty more that can be done without adversely affecting quality of life.

I wouldn’t say ignore as you make a good point. Imports being down to mass consumerism. How do you slow that down, by substantially increasing prices but it would take a brave retailer to be the first to do that. I don’t think you can slow it down by using an emotional argument.

I think there are two distinct points here. The first is recognising that we can't just use historic emissions as a benchmark to measure progress against. So we also need to look at a range of more specific indicators,  such as home and vehicle energy efficiency,  use of renewables, modal share for sustainable transport, use of resources etc. Until the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is at the top of the  league in such indicators we shouldn't think we are doing well.

The second point is what to do about emissions associated with imported products. I agree there are limits to what individual retailers can do by themselves.  What is ideally needed is international carbon trading, so that the carbon price would be added to products wherever they are made.  As Ellendune says carbon emissions from production should be added to the importing country's total. But there are other things that could be done; such as introducing product standards covering life cycle emissions.

[Bmblbzzz]

Until the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is at the top of the  league in such indicators we shouldn't think we are doing well.

It's not football! A national league table can be one way to encourage progress but what matters is the world situation as a whole; if we're bottom of the league but the overall is sufficient, that's better than if we're top but the average is mediocre.

[broadgage]

Ironic smile as some of the young 'eco-warrior's '  arrived back home to
 Totnes. Waiting was 'Mummy' who swiftly whisked them off in her 4x4.

sadly probably true.

Was that the lady in the (spotless) Hunter wellies and Barbour jacket, waiting with the Fortnum & Mason hamper for young Felicity?

I think I saw her at Taplow too! 🙂

Times are hard, due to the beastly government putting taxes on vehicles and vehicle fuel, even for rural moms who simply HAVE to drive, how else is poor little Tamsin to be taken to her yoga for babies classes, whilst mother searches for the latest organic baby foods.

Therefore one simply cant afford Fortnum & Mason hampers, except for Christmas, Royal Ascot, and other REALLY special occasions.
Poor Felicity had to make do with a few treats from Marks and Spencer simply food. Such a paltry reward for our brave young eco-warrior.

And to insult to injury, the beastly government are erecting wind turbines within sight, AND absolutely AWFULL "mast things" on the railway line. According to Mumsnet, these not only look absolutely awful but might be giving off rays or radiations, or something that could harm babies. No wonder poor Tamsin is SO ill.

Perhaps Felicity could join a protest against all these intrusions on rural life, and the possible health risks.

[mjones]

Until the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is at the top of the  league in such indicators we shouldn't think we are doing well.

It's not football! A national league table can be one way to encourage progress but what matters is the world situation as a whole; if we're bottom of the league but the overall is sufficient, that's better than if we're top but the average is mediocre.

Well yes, but global emissions are the sum of every individual contribution, so everyone and every country has to do their bit. A socially just outcome is that we follow a process of contraction and convergence that results in everyone having similar CO2 emissions per person.  That means rich countries with a legacy of high emissions need to go further than poor countries whose people need increased  energy to give them an acceptable standard of living.  As a rich country we should be leaders in introducing the more efficient technologies, buildings and vehicles that every country will need to introduce eventually. So yes, I would expect the UK to be adopting the highest standards available and pushing them forward, if we are to expect others to follow.  Nothing to do with football leagues.

[broadgage]

As might be said by the mother of Felicity "I am certain that driving MY large 4 wheel drive vehicle cant be affecting the climate. It has climate control"

"how can I have a carbon footprint when I drive everywhere"

[Western Pathfinder]

Look on the bright side  we've just had a glorious bank holiday weekend without any rain
Back later on , just off to Waitrose to fill up with sundried tomatoes, and the Range rover needs topping up again😉.

Edit to adjust smelling.

[GBM]

All new homes should have solar panels fitted.
The Government has abolished the feed in tariff, so a household as from April 2019 will no longer receive any payment for feeding back to the grid.
However, compulsory fitting of panels would mean households could benefit from their own panel generation (provided said householder was at home when the sun shines)!
At least excess generation could still be fed back to the grid.

[Lee]

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-protests-climate-change/climate-change-protesters-target-london-stock-exchange-and-canary-wharf-idUKKCN1S10J9

Environmental activists glued themselves to the London Stock Exchange and climbed onto the roof of a train at Canary Wharf on the final day of protests aimed at forcing Britain to take action to avert what they cast as a global climate cataclysm.

The Extinction Rebellion group has caused mass disruption in recent weeks across London, blocking Marble Arch, Oxford Circus and Waterloo Bridge, smashing a door at the Shell building and shocking lawmakers with a semi-nude protest in parliament.

At London Stock Exchange’s headquarters on Thursday, six protesters dressed in black suits and red ties were blocking the revolving doors of the building.

At the Docklands Light Railway (DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway)) station in Canary Wharf, five protesters from the group climbed aboard a train and unfurled a banner which read: “Business as usual = Death”. One glued herself to a train.

“Extinction Rebellion to focus on the financial industry today,” the group said in a statement. The “aim is to demand the finance industry tells the truth about the climate industry and the devastating impact the industry has on our planet.”

Police said 1088 arrests have been made since the main protests began last Monday.

[TaplowGreen]

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-protests-climate-change/climate-change-protesters-target-london-stock-exchange-and-canary-wharf-idUKKCN1S10J9

Environmental activists glued themselves to the London Stock Exchange and climbed onto the roof of a train at Canary Wharf on the final day of protests aimed at forcing Britain to take action to avert what they cast as a global climate cataclysm.

The Extinction Rebellion group has caused mass disruption in recent weeks across London, blocking Marble Arch, Oxford Circus and Waterloo Bridge, smashing a door at the Shell building and shocking lawmakers with a semi-nude protest in parliament.

At London Stock Exchange’s headquarters on Thursday, six protesters dressed in black suits and red ties were blocking the revolving doors of the building.

At the Docklands Light Railway (DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway)) station in Canary Wharf, five protesters from the group climbed aboard a train and unfurled a banner which read: “Business as usual = Death”. One glued herself to a train.

“Extinction Rebellion to focus on the financial industry today,” the group said in a statement. The “aim is to demand the finance industry tells the truth about the climate industry and the devastating impact the industry has on our planet.”

Police said 1088 arrests have been made since the main protests began last Monday.

Any plans to glue themselves to the Chinese Embassy?

[Timmer]

At the Docklands Light Railway (DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway)) station in Canary Wharf, five protesters from the group climbed aboard a train and unfurled a banner which read: “Business as usual = Death”. One glued herself to a train.

Not again 

[TaplowGreen]

At the Docklands Light Railway (DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway)) station in Canary Wharf, five protesters from the group climbed aboard a train and unfurled a banner which read: “Business as usual = Death”. One glued herself to a train.

Not again 

It's just coming across as a middle class student rag week stunt now......point made (albeit poorly targeted/executed), time to get back to work/school & allow others to do theirs.