When your bath is overflowing, turn the taps off!

It’s just 3 weeks until the vital COP26 conference. Over the next few days, we will be hearing many corporations and countries speaking about their plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions. Are these promises to be trusted, or are they greenwashing, fooling the public into believing they are doing well when in fact they areContinueContinue reading “When your bath is overflowing, turn the taps off!”

Your guide to COP26

Many Sheffielder’s are preparing to go to Glasgow for COP26. Why is it so important and will it achieve anything? Michael Jacobs recently addressed an open meeting of Sheffield Green Party.  He was formerly the special advisor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, steering through the Climate Change Act. Here is the video of the discussion.ContinueContinue reading “Your guide to COP26”

The Impossible Rebellion

I spent three days with Extinction Rebellion in London. In the light of the IPCC report that issued a “code red” warning for humanity, the recent horrific weather events, some of which have been widely reported like the New York flooding, and others which have been largely ignored like the drought in Madagascar, the overwhelmingContinueContinue reading “The Impossible Rebellion”

IPCC launch 6th Assessment Report

Today the IPCC launched their report. The IPCC press release is a good summary of the findings and here is an excellent report in the Guardian. “For the tipping points, it’s clear that every extra tonne of CO2 emitted today is pushing us into a minefield of feedback effects tomorrow,” says Prof Dave Reay, atContinueContinue reading “IPCC launch 6th Assessment Report”

Why would an 11 year old decide to walk to London?

Why would an 11 year old boy from Hebden Bridge decide to walk all the way to London? Youth activist Jude Walker recently passed through Sheffield on a 200 mile journey to drive support for a petition to introduce charges on carbon emissions.  He is desperately trying to  raise awareness of the urgent need toContinueContinue reading “Why would an 11 year old decide to walk to London?”

Extreme weather continues but the media are still not telling the truth.

This week we have seen further extreme flooding in Belgium, China, India, Panama and Russia. London is flooding as I write. https://twitter.com/Inspecteurdusud/status/1419226096554348545 Watch how a peaceful road in Belgium turns into a raging a torrent in less than a minute. The famine in Madagascar has been recognised as the first to be caused solely byContinueContinue reading “Extreme weather continues but the media are still not telling the truth.”

How should Sheffield react to the events in Germany and Canada?

As I write this it’s 30oC outside and I’m sweltering. Extreme heat is very debilitating, and for some can be fatal, especially if it continues for several days. Heat can cause dehydration and heatstroke. Over the course of several days, extreme heat affects the internal organs and puts extra strain on the cardiovascular system. TheContinueContinue reading “How should Sheffield react to the events in Germany and Canada?”

The Council declaring a Nature Emergency should be on the front page!

A letter to the Sheffield Star Dear Editor Sometimes I am perplexed by your choice of front-page story. Today you lead on another revamp of Fargate, but on reading the article there are few details of the plan apart from the Council takeover of one shop. On page 16 in a single column, you hideContinueContinue reading “The Council declaring a Nature Emergency should be on the front page!”

COP26 Coalition Rally, Sheffield Town Hall, 12th June 2021

Many different groups joined together in Sheffield City Centre to send a clear message to the G7 leaders meeting in Cornwall and those preparing to go to COP in Glasgow in November. ACT NOW! I was particularly pleased to hear the Extinction Rebellion Justice Group “pass the mic” to the global south, by reading messagesContinueContinue reading “COP26 Coalition Rally, Sheffield Town Hall, 12th June 2021”

Can we fit 200,000 heat pumps in Sheffield homes by 2030?

In my last column I wrote about the report Pathways to Zero Carbon Sheffield, commissioned by Sheffield Council from Arup. The final part of the report is due soon. I have been gauging opinions about it. Does it go far enough? Will it be possible to meet its targets?  One of the most significant changesContinueContinue reading “Can we fit 200,000 heat pumps in Sheffield homes by 2030?”