In a week when the Environment Agency has issued the warning ‘‘adapt or die’ and even the Queen is saying there’s too much talk and not enough action, there’s mounting pressure on leaders to do more about climate change.
COP26 is the perfect opportunity to do something, but will the right people be there?
We’ve had the news that the Pope is no longer attending, and that the poorest countries also might not be able to make it to the conference.
The Pope no-show is unlikely to cause problems; it’s more important that he support the aims of COP26 than be physically present.
However, the potential absence of poorer countries is a major concern. To make the debate relevant to the whole world, and to take on board the perspectives of non-First World countries, then all voices surely must be heard.
If the only COP26 participants are economic superpowers, then the conference has failed before it begins.
This week we’ve unfortunately seen more energy businesses fold, including those that have tried hard to do the right thing. Pure Planet, which ceased trading this week, focused on supplying renewable energy and carbon off-set gas to customers. It’s important that all the knowledge and skills gathered and used to create this business, and many others like it, don’t go to waste.
So much is riding on the growth of renewable energy, and despite the continued calm conditions slowing down wind farm energy production, the demand remains high. But building bigger turbines and renewable mega hubs, that still require substantial infrastructures to deliver the energy produced, isn’t the only answer.
We know first-hand there are other solutions to large wind power and we’re working hard to make at least one of them a reality.
