Thousands join biggest-ever UK environmental lawsuit over river pollution

"While 42% of Traditional Conservatives say they would oppose a campaign group calling for reaching net zero, only 16% say they would oppose a campaign group calling for protecting our environment."

Fascinating how toxic #netzero has become for some

I think it's time to review the language we use

"Traditional Conservatives strongly identify with the need to respect our environment, and use this language when they talk about these issues."

So who do these voters turn to now?

I suspect the Lib Dems will capture this fertile centre ground & do rather well out of it in some constituencies.

Revisiting what bonkers decision it was from the Tories to commit to scrapping the Climate Change Act we find the recent report from @climateoutreach.bsky.social, which finds:

1. People are very worried about climate change harming nature and wildlife
2. This 100% includes Traditional Conservatives

News that shocks no one: Carbon offsets do nothing for climate.

The Strathclyde Institute for Sustainable Communities has finally joined BlueSky.

Please follow us if you're interested in research that explores pathways to a fair and sustainable future, where communities are represented, empowered and enriched.

#greensky #academicsky #energysky

Labour's Local Power Plan has not yet launched but GBEnergy's latest strategic statement from DESNZ retains a commitment to it, with further details due later this year (i.e. soon)

A little more detail too here on what it will include

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68c807...

And in numbers.

Spot the difference.

www.ons.gov.uk/economy/envi...

This is what I suspect is (partly) driving a political push back against net-zero.

It illustrates out some of the excellent thinking in this piece too:

theconversation.com/port-talbot-...

The Tories are the self-professed party of the environment & family.

So it's rather hard to think of a single policy that would do a better job at both wrecking the environment, as well as the future prospects of our children and grand-children.

I wonder what most Conservative voters make of this.

I laughed and then raged at the rationale that they were scrapping the CCA becuase they care about nature.

C'mon...

I wonder if we'll hear today from past Tory-party grandees, who were supporters of the Climate Change Act.

It's very important we hear them voice their criticisms but I won't be holding my breath.

I agree but the CCA is not the problem either. It creates a legislative basis upon which policies that deliver emissions can - and should - be implemented.

We should not conflate poor energy (or other) policy with pro-climate change legislation that the CCA embodies.

- renewable power is already cheaper than fossil fuels in many cases and costs are set to fall further
- electrification is an inherently more energy efficient process than burning of hydrocarbons
- failure to tackle climate change misses out on countless co-benefits (eg air quality, biodiversity)

- climate change impacts & concern likely much worse in 4 years
- it could kill dead one of the UK’s few genuine growth sectors
- it removes one of the UK’s genuine global leadership roles we have left
- it creates chaos for industry investment & planning
- it doesn’t alter reality of climate change

Let’s briefly count the ways this is a really dumb policy:

- there remains overwhelming support in the UK to tackle climate change
- paying for climate action now is a down payment on massive £££ savings later
- it tethers Tories to Reform rather than differentiates them. You can’t out-Farage Nigel

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Today formally marks the end of a 17 year cross-party consensus on climate change & an extremely dangerous moment in our history

Turning our backs on climate action is tantamount to accepting the full force of climate change. It is a self-imposed death sentence

It's subtle but it's there.

The shift from "very concerned" to "unconcerned" is present in UK Gov's attitudes tracker.

This trend is of course paradoxical, when year-on-year, people are experiencing first-hand the worsening impacts of climate change.

Humans are far from rational beasts.

Come to the southside of Glasgow and you can see the housing developments march steadily into the countryside year-on-year, whilst many parts of the inner city continue to fall into disrepair.

We know the problem, we just don't prioritise the solution.

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Almost as if this was a foreseeable issue

GET 👏 IT 👏 DONE

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...