​World Environment Day helps to highlight climate challenge - Steve Cardownie

World Environment Day. Photo: AdobeWorld Environment Day. Photo: Adobe
World Environment Day. Photo: Adobe
Today is World Environment Day. Launched by the UN General Assembly back in 1973, it designated June 5 as such and it urges governments and the organisations of the United Nations to undertake worldwide activities on this day, reaffirming their concern for the protection and improvement of the environment with a view to raising awareness of environmental problems.

​Of course, this issue has risen to prominence over the years as we witness protests by environmental campaigners springing up all over the UK which are regularly featured in news bulletins on our TVs and other media outlets.

I believe that some of the tactics by protesters are self-defeating, particularly blocking traffic which ultimately aggravates the very people they hope to attract to their cause, namely the British public. Which is a pity because they have a message that is worth hearing.

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Droughts have increased by 29 per cent since the turn of the century and if ignored and no action taken it is estimated by the UN that they could affect 75 per cent of the world’s population by the year 2025.

The World Resources Institute reported last August that “The latest data confirms what we’ve long feared: Forest fires are becoming more widespread, burning twice as much tree cover today as they did 20 years ago.”

Climate change is one of the major drivers of the increased incidence of fires with the year 2021 being one the worst years for forest fires this century causing 9.3 million hectares of tree loss globally.

Extreme heatwaves are five times more likely today than they were 150 years ago and are expected to become even more frequent. They obviously dry out the landscape helping to create the perfect environment for larger more frequent fires.

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According to research from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ), the proportion of people across the globe living in flood prone areas has risen by 20-24 per cent since 2000, which is ten times greater than the number previous models had predicted as climate change drives extreme rainfall, rising sea levels and more intense hurricanes.

There has also been a significant increase in the severity of flooding across many areas of the UK over the last 50 years and despite spending £800 million every year on flood and coastal defences they still cause an average £1400 million of damage.

Extinction Rebellion has the stated aim of using non-violent civil disobedience to compel government action and aims to instil a sense of urgency to prevent further “climate breakdown.”

I for one doubt that its civil disobedience tactic of bringing traffic to a halt will bear much fruit, but it is not the only organisation that is concerned with the effects of climate change.

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Some other bodies such as Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Fossil Free UK, Frack Off and Global Justice Now are also active in this field and have local groups dotted throughout the UK.

So, if today’s World Environment Day helps to reinforce the message that more needs to be done to meet the climate change challenge, by whatever means, then well and good- but the talking will have to stop and stop now if future generations are to be safeguarded.

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