THIS month’s Eco Action column has been produced by Bromsgrove Climate Action
Emergency, by definition, is “a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action”.
Our council, however, does not acknowledge the immediacy of the climate change emergency and has set their target date of reducing their carbon footprint as 2050, some 28 years from now. What part of the word ‘emergency’ is incomprehensible?
In 2019 we started approaching councillors to engage in discussion – the majority did not even bother to respond.
The few we met with had serious concerns and have carried on occasional meetings with us.
In 2020, the council did a public consultation but, partly because of Covid, it was done online.
The many people we spoke to in the high street about this knew nothing of the consultation so we were able to provide them with the link to the survey, and yet the council boasted of the success of this consultation.
How many people actually filled it in remains a mystery yet this was a consultation for the whole of Bromsgrove district, not just the town centre.
On the back of this, their Action to Reduce Carbon was compiled and put on the council website. This is not an action plan but a series of aspirations with no mention of what exactly it will do, how it will deliver it or a timescale.
It is time councillors woke up and started working together, putting aside party politics and working for the good of the community as a whole.
Climate change is not going away – we have seen on the news the devastating floods in Pakistan, the terrible droughts in Africa with no monsoon rain for the fifth year in a row brought on by an unprecedented la Nina event off the coast of Australia. Global weather patterns are altering and, along with it, ocean currents.
Our island we call home is bathed by the Gulf stream for instance which brings with it the temperate climate we enjoy.
Scientists are concerned it is slowing down which will inevitably bring with is a change in our climate and much colder sea temperatures washing our shores.
When will we all start acting together instead of adopting the ‘I’m alright it doesn’t concern me’ attitude?
Have some thought about the legacy you are leaving to your children and future generations by making changes to the way you live.
Start the conversation with your local councillor: ask how concerned are they about climate change and what do they think they should be doing about it locally.
Check out ‘Bromsgrove Climate Action’ on Facebook or email Bromsgrove [email protected] for more information.
