Our House is on Fire, Be the Generation to Put It Out!

  

The Alarm.

“OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE” – January 2019, Greta Thunberg woke the world up with her impassioned speech in Davos to an audience made up of the world’s most successful business leaders. She told them “I don't want you to be hopeful, I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day and then I want you to act”. Later that year she travelled to North America to raise the alarm; an epic zero carbon journey made on-board the racing yacht Malizia II. Greta, a solitary schoolgirl began protesting outside the Swedish parliament building in August 2018, vowing to make the Swedish government act on their commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement. Greta’s dedication to do everything she can to tackle climate change has achieved the impossible - globally forcing governments to pledge to become zero carbon, to start putting the flames out.

2020, twelve months later we have seen nearly three billion animals killed or displaced whilst the Australian bush was being ravaged by fires. Scientists have published an assessment quantifying the role of climate change in the worlds worst wildlife disasters.

Fires in Brazil's Amazon rain-forest have catapulted to a thirteen year high raising concerns that this year's fires will surpass 2019 catastrophic blazes.

The Breather.

Coronavirus forced people to stay in-doors; COVID-19 restricted people's travel. Mother Nature was able to take a breather and in the UK the Earth began to restore. During the strict lockdown months, people reported seeing wildlife like they have never seen before. Reports of birds singing, bees buzzing and butterflies gently flying in the new, clean air. Where humans were forced to stay inside, wildlife took over. In Llandudno, a herd of Kashmiri goats came down from the Great Orme and took to the empty streets; in east London, a herd of deer were pictured grazing on the lawns in the middle of a densely populated housing estate. Councils stopped cutting grass verges, hedgerows went uncut – the streets remained quiet; all of which allowed wildlife to flourish. Uncut grass verges allowed wildflowers to naturally grow; black medic, birds-foot trefoil and red clover; wildflowers that attract pollinating bees and other invertebrates. This biodiversity restored the beauty that mother nature offers, and humankind takes for granted. 

When people slowly emerged they were happy with their new surroundings. In April a YouGov poll commissioned by the RSA alongside The Food Foundation, showed that 9% of people wanted life to return to normal, the 'normal' before the pandemic struck. People are now searching for a 'new normal'. A new normal that gives the best of what the pandemic brought; stronger communities, clean air and flourishing wildlife.

The Solution.

1990, at the second World Climate Conference, in Geneva, Margaret Thatcher compared the threat of global warming with rising tensions in the middle-East; just as Iraq was invading Kuwait. She said, "The danger of global warming is as yet unseen, but real enough for us to make changes and sacrifices, so that we do not live at the expense of future generations". She went on to say, "To accomplish these tasks, we must not waste time and energy disputing the IPCC's report or debating the right machinery for making progress". 

We achieved and did nothing! Climate deniers, born from corporate America, specifically the fossil fuel industry, have been disputing and discrediting the IPCC for decades. According to a report by InsideClimate News, Exxon Mobil knew about the inpending climate crisis from as early as 1977, 11 years before the issue became mainstream knowledge. Social media has allowed us to be infected by climate denialism - it is a virus that is literally killing the Earth and fuelling the flames that ravage our house. The future generations Margret Thatcher spoke of are today's generation; the generation not responsible for the climate change, yet the generation that is witnessing its severe consequences. Detrimental consequences like the ice caps disappearing; the great barrier reef losing its vibrant colours of life; we are witnessing the sixth extinction! Climate deniers are getting louder, desperately trying to distract from what is slapping us in the face.

We need to make change now! But how do we do this? Politically, the UK is in a mess! The recent Russia Report on election interfering has shown that, we the voters, are being deceived. They spread confusion and anger that is driving us apart. A coming together was achieved during the strict lockdown months that strengthened communities. We need to maintain this - join in local litter picks, support community rewilding, and push councils to maintain their zero target pledges - BUT - overall, we have to change the way we vote! We desperately need a new voting system, one that represents every voter; Boris Johnson having an eighty seat majority from 44% of the vote share is not democracy. As individuals when we vote, we need to engage more with politics, look for the real issues that affect our day-to-day lives. We need more than just Margaret Thatchers or Boris Johnsons words, we need a plan and we need urgent action today - look for passion, look for solutions, look for imagination! Greta Thunberg's generation can and will force change, if we imagine a better life.