🌱 The Grumpy Optimists #18
Your weekly reads as well as Wimbledon's environmental day, greenwashing or genuine action?
Morning all and welcome to another week! 👋 🌱
So, it didn’t come home but we’re proud of the boys and what the team stands for! No doubt there are a few sore heads out there this morning, but don't you worry. We've pulled together your usual Monday morning read with some of this week's best reads and watches compiling the latest climate, social, and environmental news. So crack open the paracetamol, get yourself a strong coffee, and see what takes your fancy below.
Have a great week all, George and Will 💚
Quick Reads
🇫🇷 France's climate commitments take a huge blow. The French government has announced that it will not enshrine the responsibility to tackle the ecological crisis into the country's national constitution. This is a significant setback for the country (and the EU's) so-called 'green' agenda and for President Macron. Macron had eyed constitutional change as a key part of his plans to manoeuvre new, ambitious targets to tackle climate change. It looks like the plans will be watered down.
🔥 Canada-US heatwave 150 times less likely without climate change. Last week we did an extended commentary on the recent heatwave in North America, highlighting the importance of framing in determining how we perceive these extreme weather events in the context of climate change. Not only are scientists unanimous that human activity significantly increased the likelihood of this particular heatwave occurring, but they have also expressed concerns that the rate at which we're burning fossil fuels is now driving up temperatures (and the risk of future deadly heatwaves occurring) at a much faster rate than previous models suggest. The events of last week also killed 1 billion marine animals.
🛢️ Plans for offshore oil rig risks watering down COP26 ambition. Following an exploration period spanning two decades, drilling could begin at the Cambo oil field in the North Atlantic as early as 2022 and is estimated to have sufficient reserves to produce oil and gas for up to 25 years. If approved, this would cast doubt over the UK government's climate targets ahead of COP26 in November.
📱UK right to repair law comes into effect. Manufacturers of electronic items like washing machines, TVs and fridges are now legally required to make spare parts available to people who need to replace them. The hope is that it extends the lifespan of products by up to 10 years. The problem? Only easy to replace parts will be available and the cultural question, will people bother repairing over buying new?
💩 Southern Water fined for dumping sewage in the sea. As a surfer, this is something that gets us wound up. Southern Water pumped between 16-21bn litres of raw sewage into protected seas for the sake of its bottom line. Sewage is constantly dumped into the sea as the UK's Victorian sewer system struggles with too much water. Check out this live sewage pollution map in the UK and be shocked by how common it is. Key tip, never swim in the sea 48 hours after heavy rain.
Canberra eye up legal battle against school children over climate change 😳
Wow. Just when you thought Australia's failure to confront the climate crisis couldn't get any worse, the government have indicated that they are set to challenge the federal court's order earlier this week. The court order ruled that the government have a duty of care to protect future generations from irreversible destruction caused to the natural environment.
The Morrison government are now preparing to legally challenge the eight schoolchildren who opted to fight against Whitehaven Coal's proposed plans to expand their coal mining operations in Boggabri, New South Wales.
According to the Director of the Sydney Environmental Institute, Prof David Schlosberg:
“The Australian government is not only ignoring the unjust impacts of climate change on future generations, but is also actively and explicitly arguing against climate and intergenerational justice – to allow the expansion of a coal mine.”
Now it's over to Sussan Ley, the Environment Minister (yes, the Environment Minister) to pull together a case which justifies the expansion of fossil fuel extraction and the cumulant CO2 emissions which it'll release into the atmosphere, over the protection of its natural environment and its citizens for generations to come. Well, they've done it before I guess.
To stop yourself boiling over with anger and rage, enjoy the meme below.
🎾 Wimbledon's first 'Environment Day'. Good PR or genuine ambition?
The All England Lawn Tennis Club prides itself on being a progressive, forward looking organisation filled with world-class tennis, strawberries and Pimms.
Ahead of the UK hosting COP26 later this year, the AELTC announced that this year's tournament would feature the first 'Environment Day'. Wimbledon is seizing the opportunity to highlight the work the club is doing to ensure the championships are sustainable and coherent with broader ambitions to tackle climate change.
Check out this video by BBC, which provides an insight into how the AELTC are hoping to use the tournament's global audience to stress the importance of climate change, as well as drawing attention to some of the small steps it is taking internally to 'green' it's own operations.
With over 100 water bottle refill points, returnable plastic cups and electrical mowers some examples of work that is being done to reach their 2030 climate goals. The emphasis from the video is all the small things add up, but does reusing your water bottle matter as much as flying around the world to watch or play tennis? And what are the benefits of swapping packaging materials, I’d like to see the day where vegan cream is offered as an alternative to real cream (and I’m not even vegan!!).
In an age where greenwashing is rife, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Is this just another PR stunt to protect the club's reputation as a socially conscious player in the local and global community, or is putting strawberries and cream in cardboard boxes the start of promising (and genuine) ambition within the sport to reduce its carbon footprint and environmental impact?