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The climate crisis and what to do about it
- Key points
- IPCC report of 2018: halve emissions by 2030
- Climate change: the basics
- Global emissions are rising and governments are failing
- The rising feeling of desperation
- Simple solutions for the climate crisis, which should have been implemented already
- A climate crisis 10-point action plan
Action needed
False and dubious solutions
Awareness raising
Civil disobedience
- Civil disobedience in a democracy: Q and A
- Civil disobedience and the law
- Civil disobedience: the school strikes
- Extinction Rebellion
Reasons for optimism
Tecnicalities by sector
- The UK has not cut its greenhouse gas emissions
- The basics
- Emissions from home energy
- "Green electricity"
- Emissions from cars
- Emissions from food
- Health, education, etc emissions
- Buses
- Trains
- Aviation
- UK average footprint
- References
- Calculator version information
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About
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A climate crisis 10-point action plan
The following is a composite list of measures from a variety of sources.
1. Accept that climate change is urgent and desperately important - the most important problem that humanity has ever faced.
2. Reduce CO2 emissions in developed (i.e. OECD) countries by 10% per year, as an exponential decline, based on the need to halve world CO2 emissions by 2030 (in line with the the IPCC SR15 report of Oct. 2018) and the obligation of the most developed, most polluting countries to act with the most speed.
3. End prevarication and deceit, and act according to the established principles of science and of good government - i.e. base actions on honesty, evidence, transparency, human rights and appropriate consultation.
4. Introduce a carbon tax, and ensure that those least able to pay are protected, e.g. so that the tax income is used to improve public transport in rural areas, and to give targetted help with home insulation.
5. Tackle in turn the various sectors of the economy, starting with the sectors responsible for biggest fractions of CO2 emissions i.e. motor vehicles and home heating - e.g. cancel airport expansion and new road building, plan on an approximate 10% per year decline in air and motor vehicle travel, and start a comprehensive programme of home insulation.
6. Explain the necessity of the changes to the general population and all decision makers, and involve everyone in the planning and implementation.
7. Insist that the relevant politicians and officials make good decisions, using publicity, protest and civil disobedience if necessary.
8. Encourage individuals to reduce their own carbon footprint by 10% per year
9. Assist the poorest countries with their development and adaptation to climate change.
10. Review progress at suitable intervals
Measures advocated
Greta Thunberg
(Referring to Sweden:) Reduce carbon emissions by 15% a year: "Sweden is such a rich country and we have high per capita emissions, so we need to reduce more [than others]." (The Guardian (4 Dec 2018) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/04/leaders-like-children-school-strike-founder-greta-thunberg-tells-un-climate-summit, viewed 3.3.19)Via Twitter 3 Mar 2019:
"Some rules and recommendations for those on #schoolstrike4climate And if you think that 'following the Paris Agreement and IPCC' is too vague - then make sure everyone study them. They are the global tools we have at hand today. Let’s use them! #FridaysForFuture #ClimateStrike"
First published: Mar 2019
Last updated: 11 Jul 2019
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