BBC leaders debate should include question on climate change
It’s been widely reported this afternoon that Donald Trump will withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement on climate change, the most ambitious climate framework ever agreed by the international community.
This will present the next British prime minister with a dramatic challenge. If the US does walk away, other world leaders must immediately respond to prevent a domino effect. It will fall to countries like Britain, Germany, China, India and France to hold the agreement together despite the loss of US support, and to enhance their commitment to its targets.
Given this seismic event — and the key role Britain will play in the coming years — the party leaders must be asked to discuss their climate policies at tonight’s BBC debate.
The issue of climate change has scarcely played a part in the general election campaign so far.
Craig Bennett, CEO of Friends of the Earth, has said the UK should refuse to sign a trade deal with the US if its pulls out of Paris.
“Friends of the Earth will campaign vigorously against any trade deal with the US if it turns its back on its global responsibility to tackle climate change – one of the biggest challenges the world faces.
“The next five years are a watershed moment for our climate. Only if we act now can we hope to prevent catastrophic climate change destroying homes and livelihoods here in the UK and fuelling starvation and refugee crises across the globe.
“This short-sighted and dangerous decision will be met by opposition around the world: from ordinary people, to scientists, and political leaders — making the US a global outcast.
“Whoever becomes the next UK Prime Minister, they must now step up on climate action and show that our ‘special relationship’ with the US cannot extend to supporting a nation that would so flippantly jeopardise the climate for future generations.”
Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin is editor of Left Foot Forward. Find her on Twitter.
7 Responses to “Donald Trump is pulling out of the Paris Agreement – Britain’s party leaders must debate climate change”
Greg
Well done Trump.
This crooked fraud has gone on too long and it’s time to call an end to it.
Global heating and cooling has been happening in cycles for this Earth’s lifetime, CO2 is necessary for our natural environment, and the attempted demonisation of this harmless gas has resulted in massive environmental damage, a huge cost in human lives, and huge profits for a certain few.
ted francis
“…this Earth’s lifetime….”? “…harmless gas…”? What bovine ordure, Greg. There is no scientific evidence to support either of these absurd assertions. Climate Records have been have been kept for a very short period of the Earth’s history. Before records there were only anecdotal comments and annotations. Carbon Dioxide is a poison…..rather like your hero, the Neanderthal in the White House.
Greg
Instrumental records are indeed confined to fairly recent conditions, but a huge amount of information is gained from proxies in the form of ice cores, tree rings, speleothems (stalactites, stalagmites) etc. The Earth’s climate history is laid bare by these, and many other, proxies; and these indicate that the Earth has cooled and warmed many times over – what caused that warming in past periods?
And what are we going to do when the inevitable cooling period comes around again?
Let’s be honest here – this climate alarmism is based on a UN agenda to redistribute wealth; but is it working? And the answer is an emphatic NO.
Many societies, which the UN is claiming to help, live unhealthy and short lives. Some live on land that has been stripped of its environment to light fires for warmth and cooking. Solar panels and windmills aren’t going to give those people a functioning railway, decent housing, or the food provision that we so easily enjoy.
There are many issues that I have with the Climate Change (once AGW) agenda, but the one that angers me beyond measure is this holier-than-thou attitude of its chief proponents.
Why don’t these paragons of virtue stop flying around in planes? Why don’t they give up their second, third, fourth homes – or stop living lives that grossly exceed the Carbon footprint of a mother who drops her children off at school?
Not for any particular position on climate, I can honestly say that I have never been on a plane in my life – do you, holding to your principles on climate Ted Francis – ever fly?
From one of the IPPC’s own reports – “….we should recognise that we are dealing with a coupled nonlinear chaotic system, and therefore that the long-term prediction of future climate states is not possible.”
The Earth warming, or cooling, is mostly out of our control.
patrick newman
The trouble is, Greg, that you are obviously a member of that dying organisation known as UKIP and their policies on climate change issues are a laughing stock, ha, ha, ha.
It will not be so easy for Trump to wash his hands of the whole climate change movement. Republicans in congress will have one eye on elections in 2018. The other factor is that the USA will leave an open goal for the Chinese to completely clean up on the expanding renewals market!
patrick newman
Greg why did you post a second time – it is more confusing that the first. Never flown? Good so you are not a climate change denier after all!