To want clarification of what the climate protestors specifically want the government to do

[Mammajay]

What is it exactly that the protestors want. I keep seeing people on TV saying we want the govt to act but apparently our country is ahead of most in action to reduce carbon emissions, but countries like China and Russia do little to help the climate

From BBC news website:

"As a solution to the "climate breakdown and ecological collapse that threaten our existence", Extinction Rebellion is proposing three key steps.

The government must, in their words, "tell the truth" about the scale of the crisis the world now faces.

Secondly, the UK must enact legally binding policies to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025.

The third step is the formation of a Citizens' Assembly to "oversee the changes" that will be needed to achieve this goal."

What a load of nonsense! Just more attention seekers, causing a fuss and enjoying themselves. Any bandwagon will do! This country does take climate change seriously - diesel cars are discouraged, taxed higher, there's the congestion charge, all those wind turbines, plans to introduce electric cars etc etc. That's just the beginning...

"countries like China and Russia do little"
I'm no expert, and I know nothing of Russia, but China has been ahead of the curve for investing in solar power. We could always stop exporting the world's manufacturing capacity - and therefore environmental debts - there (somehow) I suppose. The climate protesters are right about a serious crisis looming, and serious steps, such as cutting right back on pleasure flights, being needed. The overuse of energy and resources is a first-world problem, and a problem caused by wealthier people everywhere.

It's not the carbon emissions that are the problem with diesel cars in particular (these are lower than for petrol I think). Its the particulates and other polluting emissions that have led to the changes. The congestion charge is about air quality too I think.

Secondly, the UK must enact legally binding policies to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025.

May as well shut down London and other major cities now then.

www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/

China are better than UK and Russia are pretty close to us. This chart ranks all countries on their Earth Overshoot date calculation - ie the date in the year when their population has 'used up' their portion of the planets resoures that is fair for their population if the whole earth was 'One Planet' living.

There are LOTS of things governments can do to improve the huge range of things that contribute to climate change. A big one is to 'choice edit' what we as consumers can buy so that laws and regulations just make the 'right' things the norm. eg - why are we still building brand new houses that are below the best environmental standards for insulation, green energy, efficient water systems etc? Because they cost more and developers want to build the cheapest they can get away with for building regulations to maximise their profits - of course, they are businesses. But if ALL developers had to build to a higher spec because the building regulations were tightened by the Government, there would be a level playing field for businesses but we would all benefit. It would also stimulate the market for those types of building materials, energy efficient systems etc. This is just one example. There are loads of things like this. There are lots of changes we can make that would not impact dramatically on our lifestyles.

I want the government to give a a big 'fuck you' to all the big polluters and emission generators in the country regardless of money and actually enact and enforce laws that punish those who pollute and use the money to subsidise 'green'alternatives. For example putting a 100% tax on your npower gas and electric bill but use that revenue to provide discounted solar panels for homes with a 0% government loans available to purchase them.

My parents live in the grim north of england and havent paid an electric bill in the 10 years since getting a few solar panels installed. Theres no excuse

I want the government to give a a big 'fuck you' to all the big polluters and emission generators in the country regardless of money and actually enact and enforce laws that punish those who pollute and use the money to subsidise 'green'alternatives. For example putting a 100% tax on your npower gas and electric bill but use that revenue to provide discounted solar panels for homes with a 0% government loans available to purchase them.

Yeah, I want a unicorn and my size 8 waist back. I think I'll go with wishing in one hand and shitting in the other and see which one gets full first.

Such a stupid suggestion as a 100% leaves poor and working poor freezing and starving in the dark until these so-called alternatives are implemented for them, but, like 99% of these climate change clowns, you don't seem to have considered that.

My parents live in the grim north of england and havent paid an electric bill in the 10 years since getting a few solar panels installed. Theres no excuse

So you're going to buy everyone these panels? They cost money, you know, that's a pretty good excuse why some don't have them, and here's a little newsflash for you, too, since again, you have not stopped to consider: plenty of people rent their home. YES! They can't just put solar panels up! I know, I know, on Planet Climate Change Protesters, this has not been realised, that a great many people live in substandard housing that they are renting. The first priority for most sound people and policies would be to first ensure housing fit to habitation before coming to faff about with fucking solar panels.

If the govt really took action to make change I wonder how many would vote for it? One child policy springs to mind - more people need more food & use more resources but I can’t see it being a vote winner.

Genuine question to anyone who thinks the climate change protesters are clowns, how do you think we are going to avoid climate catastrophe given the fact that we are nearly fucked as it is and are on the middle of a mass extinction of a huge proportion of the planet's life? We can not afford NOT to act, do you want a world for your children or not? Because the one we are currently leaving them looks fucking terrifying from where I'm sitting.

Aradiadaemon would you vote for a party with a one child only policy?

May as well shut down London and other major cities now then

If we don't take climate change seriously, all the major cities will shut down (and it won't be pretty). You do understand that, right?

I did consider all of that

You want to rent out a property, it must have solar panels. Free electric for the poor, i bet they'd appreciatet that.

I wouldnt enact it tomorrow but say a 10% increase per year for the next 10 years means that by 2029 most properties are generating their own free power that doesnt pollute. The taxes sunsidise the solar panels.

Sad that you having a unicorn and trim waist is more likely than you actually doing something to help the planet.

Add a few more panels to my parents house and i imagine they could then power an electric vehicle too. I think they currently have 4 panels. Power and vehicle emissions being the biggest 2 that an individual is responsible for being cut to 0- ace!

What has one child policy got to do with it? Nobody I've seen is advocating that. There are LOADS of things we can do as individuals AND as societies (in all nations not just UK) that would make a difference and not be a huge impact on our lives. We'd still be living in luxury and comfort compared to our predecesors. Cycle or walk short journeys, eat meat a bit less, turn the heating down a couple of degrees and put a jumper on, dry washing on the line not in the dryer when the weather is fine, don't buy loads of new consumer goods we don't actualy need (like clothes we only wear once or plastic tat and disposables when there are very good re-usable alternatives) . These are all examples of relatively EASY things we can do and if millions of us all did them it would add up to a BIG difference.

You want to rent out a property, it must have solar panels. Free electric for the poor, i bet they'd appreciatet that.

Yep, that's some real out of the box thinking there. They'll put the rents, which are already high, forcing more of the poor and working poor into homelessness, but hey, at least they won't have Vit D deficiencies.

LOL @ free energy for the poor.

All your idea cost tons of money at a time when plenty of people are sailing close to the wind wrt finances.

What has one child policy got to do with it?

Well, the best thing an individual can do to assist the planet is refrain from reproducing, since overpopulation is the biggest threat of all, and advocate for immigration to cover labour and skills shortages in areas of declining birthrate. There is no need to have children, much less one to replace you, if you're a big advocate for climate change action.

how do you think we are going to avoid climate catastrophe

We're not. We're about 170 years too late for that sail now. Humans won't go extinct, they'll just kill each other along with other factors that will result in population control.

Best thing you can do is not have kids and if you already do, try to encourage them not to reproduce.

I'm afraid you can't have it both ways and expect big changes in the climate.

There is no link with climate change & over population? Population growth means we need more food, more water, more resources, more land built on - small changes now will slow things down but if the population continues to increase those small changes won’t be enough & this will be a vicious circle of things getting better for a while & then getting worse again. To truly make a lasting difference we surely need to look at making very tough decisions? I’m interested in whether people would really be prepared to make those changes or if they think swapping to paper straws is doing enough

I’m interested in whether people would really be prepared to make those changes or if they think swapping to paper straws is doing enough

I'm going to wager on the latter there, nancy.

Oh another 'its a bit hard and might cost me some money so id rather sit twiddling my thumbs whilst london and bangkok drown and other places burn and billions are homeless and starving'

You really don't get it. The 'bit hard and might cost me some money' comment says it all. For MANY people there is no spare money, it's not hard, it's impossible for them. But hey, great opportunity for virtue signalling and making it difficult for a good many working poor to get to work.

It’s the middle classes protesting against us poor folk using two bars of the electric fire 🔥 to keep warm in the winter.

I didn't say there was no link between climate change and population growth, obviously I know there is, I questioned another poster throwing 'one child policy' as in China into this thread implying thats what the protestors are advocating.

But i do get it.

Tell me, how is free home power going to hinder the poor?

When everything goes to shit who will be the first and the most affected? The poor

Im saying that the government pays/ subsidises as much of this as possible lessening the impact on individuals as much as possible. If they pay 500 a month for power , then they can afford to pay back 250 a month to cover the cost of free power. They have 250 extraa in their pocket every month whilst saving the planet

@NaturatintGoldenChestnut I know exactly what you mean. I'm part of another (cough) hippie parenting forum, who are all for paper straws and zero waste party bags etc. I am considering giving up my car for environmental reasons and because I think it makes me lazy. No one said that they could do without a car, it was all 'what about the weekends, visits to National Trust properties etc?'
Everyone wants to talk the talk. No one wants to give up their car, flights, convenience food, animal products or clothes.

Crackerjackerknacker I didn’t imply anyone was advocating the one child policy, I asked if anyone would vote for it as a means to find out how serious people really are about making change in the light of difficult decisions.