Calling time

The largest ever annual emissions of carbon, published today in the Guardian, put mankind dangerously close a pathway that will lead to temperature rises of drastic scale.

Lord Nick Stern: "These figures indicate that [emissions] are now close to being back on a 'business as usual' path. According to the [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's] projections, such a path ... would mean around a 50% chance of a rise in global average temperature of more than 4C by 2100," he said.

"Such warming would disrupt the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people across the planet, leading to widespread mass migration and conflict. That is a risk any sane person would seek to drastically reduce."

Faith Birol, Chair of the International Energy Agency said disaster could yet be averted, if governments heed the warning. "If we have bold, decisive and urgent action, very soon, we still have a chance of succeeding," he said.

Let's call time on fear and procrastination. It's time to kick into gear. Get the first 1% of your employees up to speed by the end of this year, and double it next. Douse them with innovation juice, then stand back.

Facing up to the truth

We're lucky in Wales to have the likes of Kevin Anderson advising the Climate Change Committe, the cross-party group of Assembly Members and key organisations who advise the Welsh Assembly on action. Kevin has never been one to pull hs punches, and for that he's respected by many people this side of the border, even if the action he calls for is a tough ask, as highlighted by a recent article in Guardian, in which he says:

"Too many models use an extrapolation of old data and this gives results that are too optimistic," said Anderson. "When I present my findings I am often pulled apart for taking away people's hope. But what these models are giving us is false hope. Surely that is worse?"

For the full article, click here

Wales Climate Action

The Welsh Assembly's Climate Team are holding their autumn information sharing, inspiration and idea generation event in Llangollen over two days 22-23 November. Speakers include the outstanding Jay Griffiths, whose book 'Wild' is one of the best I've ever read.

I have the pleasure of running the first day - any questions to me or Usha Ladwa Thomas.

Further information here - look for the file titled Llangollen.

Australia takes the wrong lead

Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia has been making some good waves happen since his appointment, and was defeated yesterday in an attempt to set a course for Oz becoming one the the first countries to have cap and trade system to reduce carbon.

Notwithstanding yesterday's blog on this, there's an irony that the proposals were scuppered by climate skeptics rather than other concerned about the scheme's potential inability to deliver. For a country already beset by climate-induced weather change and 'The Long Dry', watching a population intentionally make things harder for themselves isn't pretty to watch.

Today's article in the Guardian explains all.

Ecotopia - latest update

I've just had this note in from James Parr, co-organiser of the 'Building Ecotopia' event that's running in London this coming Friday in the lead-up to the Copenhagen COP15 talks. Discounts are on offer for activitists and researchers, so sign up now if you fancy joining the 120 or so people who are already coming to make a difference. Here's James' note:

Dear Ecotopians,

The buzz is really starting to build now and the delegation that is joining us on Friday is truly inspiring and more than a little humbling.  As you may know, we have partnered with the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Bill Becker from the Presidential Climate Action Plan to create a positive vision of a sustainable future, similar to the Autotopia and Futurama visions that became a blueprint for 20th century America.

Our goal is to share this collective vision far and wide; starting with taking the results to the climate conference in Copenhagen, to be shared as a film, Ecotopia" and a strategic document detailing the paths to a sustainable society.

The output of this day will inform and contribute to the rollout of DECC's low carbon transition plan in the UK and the Presidential Climate Action Project in the US.

This amazing day will expose you to some of the most cutting edge thinking in sustainability and you will be working shoulder to shoulder with some of the smartest thinkers in the world.

We have two prices (both assisted). 150 for professionals and 75 for NGOs and academics.

Please find a more detailed description of the day here: www.cineforum.co.uk

SOME LOGISTICS: We are asking delegates if they kindly PRE-REGISTER on the web site. (It will make things a lot smoother for us on the day!)

Please go through the registration process on-line so we can also ascertain which workshops are of interest and your preferences for filming (there will be cameras rolling during the day for our film 'Designing Ecotopia'.) and we are creating a digital 'biography' of everyone to speed up the networking process.

http://www.fairknowledge.co.uk/Cineforum/Tickets.html

The first 2 tickets using the code: CSRguest will get complimentary passes.

Looking forward to seeing you on Friday,

Sincerely,

James