Join the Revolution

Revolution is a strong word. It implies many things, most of them challenging but I use it deliberately, this my friends is a revolution, a seismic change is underway and we all need to get behind it. The more we take part the more we get to shape it and the corresponding outcomes.

One thing is for sure is that the immense challenges we face are not going to go away by us ignoring them.

Revolution? I am actually quoting Prince Charles of all people, not your textbook revolutionary, but those are the first words of his recent book “Harmony”.

“This is a call to revolution. The Earth is
under threat. It is losing its balance and we
humans are causing this to happen.”

Revolution is a strong word and I use it
deliberately. The many environmental and
social problems that loom large, cannot be
solved by the very approach that caused
them.” HRH Charles

I am no great royalist or in the habit of quoting their words but this statement cannot be overlooked. It is highly significant. Charles has been environmentally inclined his whole adult life and mainly laughed at in the tabloids for talking to plants or whatever, but it is undeniable that he has a deep understanding of the natural world and he is absolutely correct to raise the most urgent of concerns. Carrying on our current path will lead us to self destruction, a whole new way of thinking is required, tinkered at the edges, making eco bricks from plastic at best slows our demise by a moment or two, something much more fundamental is required of us all.

Don’t look to Government, this is beyond their remit, they care about GDP, banks and corporate access to minerals and markets, the change will come from the bottom up and we will have to drag our government kicking and screaming into the new paradigm. This we have to do and with some urgency too. 2019 is the tipping point year, we really have left this to the very last minute and it is going to take everyone to get us to where we need to be.

This is also no overnight event, this is a 30 year revolution we have before us, that is how long we have to de-carbonise our economy, maybe a lot less. To set a course to a sustainable future we must halve global emissions this decade, failing on that means we will have left it way too late to even have a chance. We have delayed and delayed, but the time for action really is upon us. 2019 is the year we set a course to a very different destination.

Please come along to find out more, meanwhile listen to this.

Alexandra Ocasio Cortez overturned a long standing incumbent to gain a seat in congress. At 29 she has a radical outlook for the future, her ambition is exciting. Radical, Bold. I want to hear a lot more of this kind of talk. I see her rapid rise in politics as a reflection of the changes coming.
You might wonder what we are proposing, what is the agenda, simply that we begin meaningful conversations across the community about the problems we face. Poverty, debt, a contracting economy, Brexit but the overarching issue is climate and that we have to halve our emissions and as rapidly as we can. I like the idea coming from Extinction Rebellion, that of forming peoples’ assemblies, we need to demand the government at every level do their job, they should be working for us and being held accountable by us much more. They are failing us as they are still subsidising oil companies, holding back renewable energy development while pushing for investment in fossil fuel extraction.. there is simply no excuse for this and we will have to hold them to account.

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Globally each and every region needs to recognise that this is an emergency and immediate action is called for.

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