🌱 The Grumpy Optimists Newsletter #14
Our take on the G7, Johnson flying to bloody Cornwall and the amazing regeneration of nature.
Happy Monday folks 👋
It's coming home!! What a great win and a great way to spend a Sunday. The Yorkshire Pirlo is the best midfield in the world.
Anyway, let's get on with this weeks post recapping some key events, giving our insight into the G7 summit and a video to celebrate world oceans day.
The G7 Summit. Is this the catalyst for real climate action?
What is the G7 Summit?
The G7 summit is simply a big meeting for the world's largest and most advanced economies. The leaders represent over 60% of the people living in democracies and over half the world's economy.
The momentum for climate action and to 'build back better’ with Johnson claiming we need a fairer, greener and more prosperous society after covid. In a pre-summit event in May, leaders voted to end financing of overseas coal projects signalling their intent for action.
Crucially, the countries are not only uniting behind similar climate narratives, but they are also starting to see the geopolitical advantage of being strong on climate.
Is the momentum really changing?
Yes, change is top of the agenda
We would argue yes, or at least we're optimistic about the future and the G7 is a sign of optimism. With Biden in office in the states, we see a genuine commitment from the most powerful county in the world, individuals are recognising the need for action and businesses understand the power of committing to bold action. We see it with our work, businesses don't think of net-zero or carbon neutral as simply a marketing gimmick, but a genuine need for any business of the future. That is beyond powerful.
No, we’re a long way from progress
While we've just painted quite an optimistic picture, there is a need for a quick reality check. Carbon emissions are higher than they have ever been, and Boris Johnson has got on a plane to flipping Cornwall (however we do know what the A30 can be like). We did the stats on this, and there would have been 75% fewer emissions if the prime minister travelled by car (DEFRA stats).
All of this shows that we need to be careful to confuse action with simply hot air. The UK has not committed any additional funding to climate change and mass consumption still fuels our economies.
Why it all matters
We're at a tipping point where action is needed and quickly. The coming together of world leaders with climate change as one of the most crucial topics is powerful and hopefully, a chance for leaders to say 'my plans are better than your plans'.
We're optimistic there is a chance for real action, because without optimism, what do we have?
Articles to read
🖥️ Mount Recyclemore welcomes G7 leaders to Cornwall. Rather than putting on a show with some traditional Cornish pasties and a bit of sea shanty, Cornwall welcomed the G7 leaders with a cutting reminder of the importance of climate change and waste. Specifically, the astronomical increase in e-waste (disposing of electronic goods) - and the need for states to make binding commitments to make electrical items designed for reuse, repair and finally recycling.
⏰ Glasgow displays a doomsday clock ahead of COP26. In addition to the G7 this weekend, the UK will play host to another critical summit later this year which will have huge ramifications for the climate. To prepare, Glasgow is replicating the infamous 'climate clock' in New York, which ticks down the time we have left to act in order to prevent a “tipping point” 1.5-degree increase in global warming.
😳 CO2 reaches the highest levels in humans history. It might sound like a Daily Mail scare headline, but it's true. Carbon dioxide levels have now reached 419 parts per million - and show no signs of slowing up. It goes without saying that this is a trend we'll need to quickly reverse if we're to keep climate change at levels which society as we know it can still function within. Carbon reductions are needed, and so are mass-scale carbon removal.
🏄♂️ Surfers against sewage stage a paddle out protest at the G7. More than 1,000 surfers, kayakers and swimmers staged a “paddle out” protest and called for more action from world leaders. Now that is a protest I can get behind.
World Ocean Day
🌊 Vela by John John Florence.
For world ocean day we want you all to watch the series, Vela. An unreal series by surfer and full-time legend John John Florence and his mates as they travel from Hawaii to the remote Northern Line Islands. The series documents the beauty of the ocean and its ability to recover from even the most brutal circumstances.
Binge watch this from start to finish, you won't regret it!
Enjoy the week folks and please forward us on to a mate who would like to see us every Monday!
George and Will 💚