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‘On The Highway To Climate Hell’ – The Climate Crisis, Activism And Broken Politics

 Scientists are now admitting more often that they are ‘scared’ about
the climate crisis. Record high temperatures this summer in the UK alone
prompted Professor Hannah Cloke, from Reading University, to say: ‘This
sort of thing is really scary. It’s just one statistic amongst an
avalanche of extreme weather events that used to be known as “natural
disasters”.’

Aaron Theirry, co-founder of Scientists for Extinction
Rebellion, recently pointed out that: ‘The world’s largest oil and gas
companies are set to invest $930 billion over this decade in new fossil
fuel projects. Whilst the largest investment banks such as J.P. Morgan,
Citigroup, etc. have continued to pour hundreds of billions into the sector
since the Paris agreement.’

He added: ‘It was recently calculated that
fossil fuel companies already own seven times more reserves than can be
burned if we are to stay below 1.5C of global warming – yet they continue
to explore for more, with government backing!

Mark Campanale, CEO of Carbon
Tracker points out that if we look at current investment strategies then
“we are heading way beyond 3C degrees”. In other words, the global
political and financial elites are still marching us towards
catastrophe.’

In a recent interview with Aaron Bastani of Novara Media,
wildlife television presenter and conservationist Chris Packham made highly
articulate comments about the climate crisis, grassroots protest and the
destructive nature of the private media.

It is well worth quoting him at
length. As Bastani noted, Packham is a genuine national treasure, highly
regarded by much of the British public for his knowledge and passion about
the natural world and the environment, and for his keen ability to
communicate these issues effectively. Bastani asked him: ‘Do you think
politics in this country is capable of addressing the climate crisis?’

Packham answered: ‘No. No, I think the people will have to force our
politicians to address it. That’s why I continue to support those
activists [referring to Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil] who are
making a noise about this, and trying to bring it to the forefront of
public attention, and express and articulate the urgency [of the situation]
that we now find ourselves in. ‘It’s not only that I don’t trust them
[politicians], it’s that even if they were trustworthy people, I don’t
think the system’s there to make it work.’

 Media Lens 14th Nov 2022

November 16, 2022 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, climate change