We Need More than a Change in the Weather

 Well, hello Everyone, as always, it's good to be back with you all; I hope the world is smiling on you and you're staying safe and well. For once, I might get straight to the point because I believe today's topic genuinely affects us all regardless of where we call home.

I have been watching the recent UN climate change summit, and, like many of you, I started with high hopes that world leaders would FINALLY acknowledge the issues with climate change. Of course, it was no real surprise that China and Russia would be amongst those nations not attending, but I still felt something might be achieved. Sadly, I was left incredibly disappointed to see what happened, as I know many of you must have been too. I honestly did try to look past the veritable army of private planes used to bring world leaders to the summit, not to mention the fleet of armoured cars that ferried them from one place to another. But it was impossible to ignore the sometimes ridiculous behaviour of those who are allegedly moulding the future of our planet. Aside from the speeches, which seemed so full of hot air, I shouldn't be at all surprised if a small hole in the ozone layer was created above the venue; we had to watch world leaders jostling to take selfies with various people. I honestly feared for some of them when Leonardo Dicaprio appeared, as the crush to be pictured next to the actor bordered on frenzied!

Amidst all the posturing, not to mention the handwringing of certain politicians, there were moments of informed, sincere contribution - my personal favourite was Sir David Attenborough. The man has travelled extensively across the globe, studying all the flora and fauna that exist and is undeniably an expert in the field. His impassioned words couldn't fail to resonate with anyone who was listening. Sadly the same cannot be said of Greta Thunberg, who, as expected, appeared amongst her crowd of adoring fans and seemed to do little more than swear and throw in a few blah blah blah's for good measure. Now, I don't doubt she is sincerely committed to raising awareness for the plight of our planet, but I do wish someone with her platform- especially amongst young people- isn't used to more effect. Perhaps if she went to some of the worst affected parts of the world, made documentaries and focused her energy on actively demanding specific changes rather than standing in the centre of a city and saying nothing new.

I was also far from surprised when various leaders only wanted to be seen talking to certain people; it seems there is a degree of kudos to be reached if you can be pictured in apparently intense debate with the 'right' politician. Even President Biden, who appeared to be dozing throughout some of the speeches, was quite the attraction for others in attendance. Sadly the same cannot be said for Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who spent a great deal of time finding someone to talk to but ended up standing somewhat awkwardly on the sidelines. He reminded me of the kid in school who is always picked last when it comes to choosing teams! While on the subject of sports, I cannot even begin to imagine what UK Prime Minister Boris Johson thought when he burbled on about soccer teams interspersed with references to James Bond! Seriously? I would have thought someone with his connections could have found a speechwriter who could focus on the issues at hand rather than trying to do a stand-up comedy routine.

But aside from all of this nonsense, clearly, the very worst moment for the whole conference was when all the world leaders hastily retreated back to their own countries before the event was even half over. It was as if they had taken all their selfies, made a few speeches which promised nothing of any great importance, and so felt there wasn't much point staying any longer. To be honest, this was the most insulting part of all! What are we supposed to take from their behaviour? Are we supposed to believe our entire planet is safe in their hands? If it is, our only hope is to enlist Kim Kardashian to turn up at the next one and hope she has enough appeal to keep the leaders there for the whole conference. It turns out all the actual work will be done by unseen administrative staff who will liaise with each other to try and make this entire debacle not a complete waste of time and money.

I honestly believe it really comes down to us making small changes in our everyday lives while supporting those organisations working towards creating actual changes on the ground. If we rely on this sorry bunch of leaders, who are far more concerned with their own PR than the planet, we will all regret it. 

I don't know about you, but I love nature documentaries. It never fails to amaze me; while I'm watching, lions are hunting on the Serengeti, bison migrating across Yellowstone Park, or humpback whales congregating in the deepest oceans. Our world is wonderful, I know it's easy to get caught up in our own tiny corner, but if we take the time to look beyond our own space, what's out there is genuinely jaw-dropping.

Thanks to the internet, there is no excuse for thinking; everything is happening somewhere else, not when we can watch animals, we may never see in the flesh, living their lives. Also, our extraordinarily diverse world is breathtaking, filled with epic mountain ranges, lush jungles, sweeping grasslands etc. How lucky are we all to live amongst such beauty? How many of us have stood open-mouthed when we come face to face with a majestic landscape or watched wildlife appear in front of us? I don't need to ask as I know it is everyone. Those of us with children and grandchildren have undoubtedly witnessed their wonder, even when they see something as familiar as a swan or a horse for the first time.

Finally, I know it's unlike me to stray into the world of politics, it's generally a subject I avoid like the plague, but I feel the future of our home is so much more than any particular belief system. I think it's the one thing that really unites us all because, let's be honest, if we don't all do something now, there might be no future at all. 

As always, I believe there is hope. You only have to look at all the projects across the world, generally run by charities or groups of volunteers. They have realised there is little point in waiting for world leaders to unite and make genuine progress. I think we all have to do the same. Words are cheap. Its action that is needed now, so whatever you can do to make a difference, even if it's something as simple as remembering to recycle or walking instead of driving, you will be making a difference.

Anyway, I think I might well have ranted enough for one day, so until the next time, look after yourselves and your families...

Take care out there xxx