The BBC reports that London was host to a 25,000 strong rally calling for world leaders to take urgent action on the issue of climate change at the UN Climate change talks in Nairobi on Monday. The march also follows the recent publication of the Stern review waring of the possibly catastrophic economic consequences of not taking action on the issue now.
Stren himself said the issue issues extend far beyond the economic
consequences. Ashok Sinha, Director of Stop Climate Chaos speaking at
yesterdays rally said, "It’s a moral issue in the end and that’s what I
think is bringing people together." He added, ""I think people have
realised that climate change is a
humanitarian, a peace and security issue, an economic issue as much as
it is a green issue and that’s why we have such a diverse range of
voices here today."
On the same day as the rally others were
waring of a possible backlash to the exaggerated rhetoric now being
used in the debate on climate change. Mike Hulme, of the Tyndall Center
for Climate Change Research, warned that the emotive language of terror
and fear could weaken the arguments for change. The full article can be read on the BBC website
On the other hand, a Scientist and broadcaster Adam Hart-Davis pointed out on BBC
Radio 4’s Today programme that although the issue of global warming was
raised more than 10 years ago, politicians had not acted. He said,"It may need this sort of hype and this type of meeting
today to get the politicians off their backsides to actually do
something."
It’s not just emotive language that is being used however. Campaigners
are painting colourful images based on catastrophic scenarios as the
front cover of today’s Independent Newspaper
clearly shows. The paper warns it’s readers that, "This is the sort of
headline we will all be reading in reality if nothing is done to
prevent climate change."
Environment Editor Geoffrey Lean explained why the politicians in
Nairobi next week must go further than ever before. And the paper goes
on to "print the stories you’ll hope never to read again" including:
2030: RIP The Arctic polar bear breathes its last
2040: Burned to death: How man reduced the mighty Amazon to ashes
2050: The last drops of rain fall to earth
Contributed by Paul Barnett
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